A fire at The Castle School, Thornbury, on Christmas Eve is believed to have been started deliberately, according to Avon fire and Rescue Service.

Thornbury Fire Station were called to the Park Road site at just before 10pm last night, December 24, to extinguish the fire in a gazebo used to teach special educational needs children.

Police and fire officers are currently investigating.

On Wednesday three teenagers were arrested in connection with an arson attack at the Castle School sixth form.

This was after an outdoor building housing two classrooms was set on fire last Monday evening.

Four sheds at Daggs allotments have also recently been burned to the ground.

Since the event a parent connected with the academy has established a GoFundMe page looking to raise money for the school.

The appeal, which was set up on Christmas Day, read: “Happy Christmas. We woke up to the news that Castle School in Thornbury has once again been the subject of an arson attack last night. At the time of writing this, very few details are known. But as a parent, I want to show my support to the school this Christmas and I know many others do too.

“This time, a wooden gazebo was burnt down. The kids originally raised funds for this, and it’s an area that students with special educational needs regularly use.

“I hope this fund can go a little way to paying for repairs to the school, and to enable our kids to go back to school safely in the new year.

“The community around our school is strong and has already pulled together massively in the last couple of months.

“Hopefully this will be another boost the school desperate needs and will show the cowards who are trying to bring the school down that they will not win.”

To support the fundraiser, go to https://www.gofundme.com/castle-school-arson-attacks-fundraiser.