A Victorian school museum had to close and cancel school visits today after its building was vandalised.

The Ragged School Museum on Copperfield Road in Mile End had to close its doors to school children coming to experience what school was like in Victorian times after 26 window panes were smashed.

Staff arrived at the museum this morning to find that stones had been hurled through the windows to its Victorian class room over the weekend. It came after an earlier incident, on Thursday evening, when windows to its storage space, an unrefurbished building also used for film and photograph shoots, were also broken and a group of teenagers were seen running away. A total of 26 window panes have been broken.

The museum’s director Erica Davies said they had lost �1,000 worth of business today after having to cancel three school visits.

Ms Davies said: “We are a small charity and we’re all incredibly upset. We have been running a community facility for 20 years, offer free activities during school holidays, and have never had regular funding, so it’s very disappointing that people should treat us this way.

“We’ve spent all day clearing up glass and have collected half a box full of stones.

“The damage caused will be covered by insurance but it’s the disruption and loss of business that is so frustrating.”

The museum receives �6,000 in public funding a year compared to �70,000 ten years ago as public donations have been come to an end.