A VALLEYS school hit by a costly spate of thefts is considering employing 24-hour security guards to tackle the problem.

Thieves have targeted a Abertillery Comprehensive School twice in a fortnight, stripping lead from the roof and causing around £13,000 damage.

Head teacher Paul Stock walked into school yesterday morning to find thieves have struck again, this time causing £10,000 in damage, when scaffolding costs are factored in for repairs.

The first theft, overnight on June 3/4, cost the school £3,000 and two similar attacks last year left them with a bill of £7,000.

The combined cost of these thefts would pay for a teacher for a year at the school.

Mr Stock said: “It’s very frustrating, the damage they’ve done is horrendous, there are big holes in the roof and if it rains, that’s more damage - a downpour in the next couple of days will cost us hundreds.”

As the school’s insurance only applies when the damage exceeds £20,000 a time, each of these acts of theft and vandalism has to be paid out of the school’s budget, meaning less money for books, equipment and staff.

Mr Stock said the repeated thefts means they are looking at employing 24-hour security at the 950-pupil school at its own cost, as it cannot afford the mounting repair costs and the roof has been stripped bare of its lead after the latest theft.

Security guards can cost between £8 and £16 per hour, depending on how long the job is for.

The school has reported the thefts and vandalism to Gwent Police.

Gwent Police confirmed there had been two reports of lead being stolen from the school this month.

The first was reported at 9.50am on June 4 and the second at 7.50am yesterday.

Anyone with information should call Gwent Police on 101.