Vandals strike at Dunmurry High School

Mr Craig says he hopes that the building, which lay derelict over the summer following its closure in June, should be demolished ‘sooner rather than later.’

He was speaking this week as it was revealed that the site had been broken into three times over the summer and large quantities of copper piping and copper tanks were taken. Six cookers and two Go-Go bikes were also stolen by thieves. Police believe the first incident, which was not initially reported to them, happened two weeks ago with another two break-ins reported on August 20 and 21.

Mr Craig said that the community feared that the site would be targeted by vandals and thieves over the summer.

“It is expected that it will die down in September when the schools open again,” he said. “Obviously, the site cannot be secured 24 seven.”

Construction workers have already moved in to clear the site which is still owned by the South Eastern Education and Library Board to demolish it but when asbestos was discovered in the building a specialist team have said that it will be October before that can happen.

“The problem is there are traces of asbestos found in the building and a specialist team have been called in to remove it, which has held everything up,” He said, “It is a large site and the fear all along was that the premises would be broken into like this. We were hoping that it would have been demolished in September. We were hoping sooner rather than later.

“The fear is that if there are any more break-ins the kids there could be a health and safety issue. They could get into the premises and goodness knows what might happen.

“There are proposals sitting on the Minister’s desk for a special needs school at the site. It is such a large site that it needs to be used for something.”

The school closed its doors in June after a long campaign by parents, politicians and the local community for a reprieve. In April Education Minister John O’Dowd confirmed the school would close for the last time at the end of June. Mr O’Dowd blamed declining enrolment figures with only 175 children enrolled in 2011/12.