A FLOOD-HIT north Cotswolds school was forced to shut on Monday after thieves cut electricity cables, leaving it without power.

Pupils at St David's Primary School in Moreton missed a day's lessons as a result of the theft of about 100 metres of electricity cable, which was cut between the generator and the temporary classrooms the school has been using since the school was flooded last July.

The cables are likely to have been stolen for their copper content, which is estimated to be worth around £6,000 on the international metals market.

St David's headteacher Bob Forster described the theft as "really selfish".

"It has inconvenienced a lot of families and interrupted the children's education," said Mr Forster, who was alerted to the theft at 11.30pm on Sunday.

The theft was discovered when someone went to check the generator, which was not working on Sunday morning and had to be repaired later in the day.

Mr Forster and his staff spent Monday morning phoning round and alerting the local media to make sure parents were aware the school was closed for the day.

"We only had about half a dozen pupils turn up," he said.

Electricians spent the day repairing the damage and replacing the cables. The school was back in operation on Tuesday.

Mr Forster now intends to contact police crime prevention officer Acting Sergeant Mark Godsland about additional security at the school.

On suggestion is that the cables could be buried, but Mr Forster added: " A determined criminal will pull them out."

The other possibility is that security personnel will have to be employed at the site.

Mr Forster, whose staff and pupils have been coping valiantly with difficult conditions at the school since July 20, is hoping that the school will be back in its refurbished classrooms at the end of the April.

"We could have done without this," he admitted.

"Parents have been very understanding and there was nothing we could do about it," he said.