GCSE students who set alight to their textbooks while celebrating the end of their exams inadvertently started a grass fire that threatened a nearby primary school.

An appliance from Torquay was called to attend the fire, on the grounds of Torquay Girls' Grammar School on 25 May.

It was believed to be threatening a nearby primary school, a fire service spokesman said.

A crew arrived on site at 12.34 pm. The fire was out by 1pm after firefighters beat the flames.

It is thought to have been down to the burning of GCSE books.

Mark Shaw, head teacher from nearby Queensway Primary School, told a local newspaper how he had to evacuate his pupils from the playground over fears the fire would spread.

He said: "Two girls from Torquay Girls' Grammar School are believed to have set fire to their text books which caused the fire.

"It was close to our perimeter and smoke was coming into our building.

"We evacuated our children from the area and one of our staff was injured in the evacuation. She had to be taken to hospital with an injured arm.”