Police are hunting six youths after a deliberate fire at a primary school in Edinburgh caused more than £6,000 of damage.

Officers were called to Gilmerton Primary School in Edinburgh at about 3.50pm on Sunday after firefighters alerted them to the blaze.

They attended the school in Moredun Dykes Road and roads were closed while fire crews tackled the flames. The force said inquiries have established the fire next to the main school building was started deliberately, causing damage to a bike shelter.

But there was no "significant damage" to the school building and no-one was injured, they added.

CCTV footage showed a group of six youths at the school building around the time of the fire, Police Scotland added.

Police said they are trying to identify and trace those youths and appealed for witnesses who saw anything suspicious near the school on Sunday afternoon to come forward.

Detective Inspector Bruce Coutts said: "The value of the damage caused is estimated to be in excess of £6,000 and it is fortunate that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were able to control the fire and prevent it from spreading to the neighbouring school building.

"Deliberately starting fires is a highly dangerous and reckless act, it was down to the swift actions of our emergency service partners that the incident did not escalate and cause significant damage to property or cause harm to anyone involved."

He added: "Our CCTV inquiries have shown a group of six youths at the school building around the time of the fire.

"We're working to identify and trace these individuals so that we can understand the full circumstances of this incident.

"I would appeal to anyone who witnessed any suspicious behaviour around the school on Sunday afternoon and has not yet spoken to officers, or anyone who can help identify those responsible, to get in contact with us as soon as possible."

Witnesses should call Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.