Pupils at a school destroyed by fire put on a show despite losing their stage in the arson attack.

The drama students at Tideway Community School in Newhaven could not rehearse for a month after the blaze in April but felt the show must go on.

Seven pupils at the school performed Blue Remembered Hills, by Dennis Potter, in the school gym - now nicknamed the Phoenix Theatre - to a 100-strong audience for two nights this week.

Newell Fisher, the head of drama at the school in Southdown Road, said: "They were very nervous beforehand, especially two Year 10 pupils who stood in at the last minute. But it was the best performance they have ever given and I was very proud of them."

Firefighters from Newhaven who helped tackle the blaze at the school were invited to the performance and received a standing ovation from the audience. The school also collected money for the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund.

Mr Fisher said: "It was lovely to have them there although they did look quite tense at one point because, ironically, there is an arson scene in the play.

"Everything up until now has been emergency recovery at the school but this is the first sign that we are returning to normal life. At our first teachers' meeting after the fire, headteacher Adrian Money said the show must go on and it has."