Vandals rampaged through an infant school playground throwing bricks at windows and causing damage which will cost thousands of pounds to repair.

The four to seven-year-old pupils of Downs Infant School in Brighton had to be banned from playing outdoors today as staff tried to repair the devastation of the attack.

Parents who have children at the school in Ditchling Road were disgusted at the "mindless idiots" behind the vandalism.

Caroline Norton, whose daughter Hannah, five, is a pupil, said: "It was absolute mayhem in the playground. I hope the people responsible are ashamed of themselves."

The vandals scaled a fence into two play areas at the rear of the school during the bank holiday weekend.

Headteacher Regine Kruger said they had knocked down a sun shelter used for outdoor classes, which would cost around £2,000 to repair, and torn down, broken or damaged wooden seats around trees as well as benches and tables. Recently laid flower beds had been ripped up.

Several windows at the back of the school had been hit by bricks which were found scattered around the playground.

Mrs Kruger said: "Nothing was stolen, nothing was taken, we don't think they even tried to get in to the school. It was just mindless vandalism.

"This is a school for very young children, I can't understand why anyone would want to do this."

She said the school had been quoted £1,300 for the cost of replacing the windows, which were broken although not smashed.

The repairs will be covered by insurance but the £500 excess will have to be paid from the school's running budget.

Mrs Kruger said: "It would have been nice to spend that money on books but we won't be able to now."