A window was broken at William Parker School in Parkstone Road

Filsham Valley, Hillcrest, William Parker and Sacred Heart schools were all targeted on Friday - just days after the start of the holidays.

In three cases windows were forced open or smashed and in the final incident a boiler room and shed were damaged.

Police appealed for anyone seeing suspicious activity to contact them.

Hooded tops

At about 0430 BST on Friday a kitchen window was forced at Filsham Valley School in Harley Shute Road, setting off an alarm.

Police said two people were seen in the area, one wearing a grey hooded top and light coloured trousers, the other in a brown and green hooded top with white writing on the back and black trousers.

An alarm was activated at Hillcrest School in Rye Road at about 0600 BST when intruders got into the building through an office window.

Increase in offences

About 30 minutes later police were called to William Parker School in Parkstone Road when a window was broken and sweets were stolen.

At 1600 BST damage was discovered at Sacred Heart Primary School in Old London Road, where a boiler room door and a panel on a shed in the playground had both been ripped off.

Det Ch Insp Martyn Underhill said: "There has been a large increase in the number of offences against schools.

"We are appealing to the public to help us by reporting any suspicious activity around schools during the holiday period."