Flames ripped through former classrooms and sent thick black smoke into the evening sky in a suspected arson attack at a Wolverhampton school.

Fire crews battled to contain 20-metre high flames from an hydraulic platform as the blaze at Rakegate Primary School in Oxley last night took hold.

Residents say children were seen on the roof of the building minutes before the fire started.

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Around 35 firefighters were called to the scene in Renton Road just after 8pm after neighbours raised the alarm.

Watch commander Roger Smith said the flames could be seen from Fallings Park fire station as they turned out to the incident. Motorists on the nearby A449 Stafford Road were forced to drive through a veil of smoke until the fire died down.

The blaze broke out in the former infant school which has been empty for 12 months and is due to be bulldozed to make way for housing.

The new school on another part of the site was unaffected.

Fire chiefs say the cause of the blaze is being investigated but residents believe youths may have started it.

Irene Clinton, aged 74, who was the first to call 999, said her husband Fred saw three children on the flat roof of the building and shouted at them to get down.

“About 15 minutes later as I was knitting in the back room I saw thick black smoke rising up from the school and quickly phoned the fire brigade,” she said.

“After that we kept hearing loud bangs as things exploded inside the building. It was a shock to see it go up in flames like that.”

She said there had been a less serious fire in the building about six months ago.

The empty classrooms attracted local youngsters who were regularly seen throwing bricks from the roof, according to several residents.

The building was filled with wood and other materials from partitions that have been taken down and piled up inside, said Watch Commander Smith.

He added: “Fortunately the building was empty and there was no danger to nearby properties.”

Two children aged about 10 and another youth, thought to be about 14, were on the roof earlier. Police are investigating the incident.

Part of Renton Road was cordoned off for around three hours while emergency services worked at the scene.