A GREAT Missenden school had to be evacuated today after fire broke out at a church hall next door.

Worried parents of children attending Great Missenden Church of England Combined School, in Church Street, were alerted after a blaze started at Oldham Hall at just after 11am.

A workman at the hall suffered minor burns while trying to tackle the fire which started when solvent being used by builders ignited.

Claire Addis, deputy headteacher at the school, said staff noticed smoke coming from the hall's roof and called the fire brigade.

She said: "We usually evacuate on to the playground but as the smoke was billowing we decided to take them on to the far field. The children stayed out on the field until the fire officer decided which building they could go back in.

"They decided they could go into the canteen so they came in and had hot dinners until their parents collected them.

"They were very good."

She added that the children had practised evacuating yesterday in a fire drill.

Fire group Manager Darryl Keen said the fire destroyed 50 per cent of the roof and the inside of the hall was also damaged. He said: "The crews worked quickly and efficiently, doing an excellent job in preventing a significant amount of damage."

The school buildings were not affected but the pupils used Oldham Hall for extra music lessons, Claire said.

The school will be open as normal on February 26 after the half term break.