The final bricks in a £900,000 extension to a school have been cemented into place in a topping-out ceremony.

Governors, teachers and pupils watched as the finishing touches were put to a two-storey extension at Whitehawk Primary School, Whitehawk Road, Brighton, yesterday.

The building, which will house six new classrooms, a special needs room and an I.T. suite, has been built to house pupils when the final stage of a merger of the infant and junior schools into Whitehawk Primary takes place in September.

Barbara Shackell, head teacher, said: "We have operated out of the infant and junior sites for a year now and it will be wonderful being in one building, all working and playing together."

Pupils lined up to watch Ms Shackell cement the last brick in the building in place in the "topping-out" ceremony, which traditionally brings good luck to new buildings.

At the ceremony, Coun cillor Catherine Shelley, chair of governors, said: "This is a very unusual ceremony and it is very exciting to be here today.

"We have been watching this building gradually grow over the past year and another unusual factor is that it has been finished in time.

"We are delighted the contractors have done such a good job and been so friendly."

The extension was designed in a similar style to the rest of the school by Brighton and Hove architects, who are delighted with the outcome.

Nigel McCutcheon, senior architect, said work had started in October last year and had finished before the proposed deadline.

He said the contractors had managed to finish early despite the disruption caused by vandals who had smashed windows and even started a small fire in the extension Now equipment from the adjacent nursery can be moved into the building over the next few weeks and the final preparations made to ensure everything is in order for the start of the next school year in September.

The extension was paid for with funds from the Government as part of a package to merge the two schools because the number of pupils occupying the infant site meant the building was not being used to its potential.

Now consultation is being carried out to decide how the vacated buildings can best be adapted for community use.