Thieves ransacked a primary school before escaping in a car with stolen number plates.

Police are hunting two men over the raid at Canberra Primary School in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, on Friday.

A safe and a cash box were stolen by the thieves, who used a brick to smash through the back door of the school at 8.30pm.

It is understood they then escaped using a car with stolen number plates.

Head teacher Angela Heasman said: "This is the first time the new school has suffered a break-in and it is very disheartening.

"We are a school who are at the heart of the community and, when something like this happens, it is a shock to all the staff, the children and their families.

"We are working with the police and will use any CCTV images we have to help identify the intruders."

She added: "I would also ask members of the community that, if they hear of any information about who was involved, to report the matter to the police."

Des Dickson, head of education at South Lanarkshire Council, said: "We can confirm that a break-in did occur and the thieves caused damage to the office area in the school when they smashed their way in through a back door.

"Fortunately, there was no damage to the classroom areas. They also made off with the safe, which contained a sum of money."