POLICE are investigating a fire at a primary school which forced 650 pupils to be evacuated.

The fire service are treating the small fire at Westborough Primary School, in Westcliff, as deliberate and are working with police to identify the cause.

It is thought a toilet roll was set alight in a disabled toilet on the ground floor.

Southend firefighters have praised the quick actions of staff, who had got the children out of the building by the time they arrived.

Assistant divisional officer Martin Powell, who attended the incident, said: "Staff at the school carried out a textbook evacuation and deserve huge credit for getting all 650 children and 100 adults out of the building safe and sound.

"There were no injuries.

"On arrival, crews were confronted with a totally smoke- logged classroom."

Crews from Southend used a ventilation fan to clear the smoke and within an hour and a half pupils were back working in their classrooms.

Assistant headteacher Mary Weaver said: "The pupils behaved perfectly during the evacuation and while we waited for the fire brigade to deal with it.

"We are so glad no one was injured and the damage is minor.

"Disruption was kept to a minimum. As soon as the building was handed back to us, pupils went back to class."

Police spokesman Alan Jones confirmed the fire was being treated as suspicious.