A teacher was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after putting out a blaze at his school.

Richard Beels grabbed a fire extinguisher when alarms sounded at Steyning Grammar School and put out the blaze in the boys' toilets.

The PE teacher returned to teaching at the lower school site in Church Street just a few hours after the fire was put out at about 11.40am.

Head Peter Senior said: "Mr Beels tackled the fire. He was very brave to do that but having said that he shouldn't have done it. We all agreed he should go to the hospital as a precautionary measure. He should be applauded for his bravery but our advice to teachers is to get out with the pupils."

Mr Senior said the 470 pupils in the lower school had been moved out as soon as alarms sounded. Many were already making their way outside for their morning break.

He said: "All the children were well-behaved. We have regular evacuation practices. They were back in school within 15 minutes.

"No doubt there will be some repair work. There is just a little bit of damage and some smoke damage on the ceiling."

A Sussex Police spokesman said they were treating the fire as suspicious and someone had been detained.