Two school friends from a sleepy Norfolk village went on a crime spree at a boat yard, causing more than �7,000 of damage.

The Loddon pair, aged 12 and 13, broke into three boats and a caravan, smashing windows, slashing bedding with knives and setting off fire extinguishers as they went.

Just three months earlier the elder boy had burnt down a barn when he set fire to a hay bale to see if his friend could put it out - �5,000 of damage was caused.

Neither boy can be identified as they are younger than 18, but they were sentenced at Great Yarmouth Youth Court yesterday.

Conrad Shaw, prosecuting, said: 'This was a spate of damage to boats.'

He told the court details of the crime spree at Greenway Marine in Chedgrave on June 20 and 21 last year.

A third boy, who was not at the court hearing, joined the two defendants on their rampage and was alleged to have caused most of the damage.

The door of the first boat was kicked in, but others were already unlocked.

The boys damaged seating on the boats, along with instrument dials and the roof mast of a motor cruiser.

A radio from one boat was smashed with a hammer and a fire extinguisher sprayed over it, and the boys cracked the roof light of a nearby caravan. Tools, speakers and binoculars were also stolen from a boat.

In a separate incident on March 30 the 13-year-old burnt down a barn along with its contents at Lodge Farm.

Chris Bentley, defending, said neither boy had offended before, that they had apologised and had difficult home lives. He added: 'They're in Loddon and there's not a lot to do.'

Both boys pleaded guilty to the boat spree, and the 13-year-old pleaded guilty to the arson.

Chairman of the bench Jill Halliday handed the 12-year-old an eight month referral order.

The 13-year-old was handed a 10 month referral order and his parents ordered to pay �1,000 compensation for the arson incident.

No compensation was ordered for the �7,000 boat spree.