An arsonist who set fire to a school drama block has been jailed for five years.

Craig Ford, 23, was found guilty by a jury at Oxford Crown Court last month of arson at Lord Williams's School in Thame last June.

Today, Judge Bruce McIntyre sentenced Ford, who had denied arson, to five years in jail.

The trial had heard Ford, whose last known address was Seven Acres in Thame, lit the fire because he had cut his finger while ransacking a cupboard and wanted to destroy the DNA evidence.

Rupert Pardoe, prosecuting, told the sentencing hearing the fire caused up to £500,000 damage.

Sixty-five firefighters from around the county fought to stop 60ft flames spreading to the main school building.

A letter written by Ford's grandparents explaining his history of being abandoned by his parents as a child and suffering attention deficit disorder was handed to the judge.

Judge McIntyre said: "Only a custodial sentence is appropriate."

Lord Williams's School did not want to comment on the sentence, but a spokesman said it was concentrating on its appeal to raise £250,000 for a new arts centre.

Thame mayor David Bretherton said: "It was an awful thing to do, but my first feelings are that it is a heavy sentence."