Security has been stepped up at a school where an arsonist has struck twice in two days, leaving his graffiti tag daubed on the walls.

Detectives have appealed for help in tracking down the vandal who has left behind his distinctive OC1 Crew tag after each attack.

The raider first broke into the boiler room and swimming pool at Hangleton Junior School on Tuesday night.

A fire was started using wood and curtains.

The intruder scrawled his tag on the boiler room wall before fleeing from the school in Dale View, Hangleton.

The arsonist returned again on Wednesday night and tried to start another blaze in the boiler room.

This time a more determined attempt was made and paraffin was used to set fire to some old clothes.

Again the culprit scrawled his tag on the boiler room wall.

Headmaster Terry Clarke said security at the school was being stepped up after the attacks.

He said the boiler room and pool is situated between Hangleton Junior and Infants Schools and the outcome could have been more serious if the flames had spread.

He said: "With oil stored in the boiler room it is lucky the fire did not spread to the school buildings on either side.

"Thankfully, the first fire burnt itself out without doing a lot of damage and lessons were not affected."

He said fire and security precautions had been stepped up following a number of attacks by vandals in the last few months.

There had been several break-ins and damage over the summer holidays by intruders who had used the pool.

Security cameras have been installed and there are plans to put a fence around the pool area to deter the vandals.

Inspector Mark Powles, based at Hove police station, appealed for information about the OC1 tag daubed on the boiler room wall.

He said: "If anyone knows who uses this particular graffiti tag we would like to hear from them.

"There has been a continuing problem of vandalism at the school which is obviously of great concern to us."

Anyone with information should phone Insp Powles on 0845 60 70 999, or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.