A TEN-year-old super sleuth has been hailed a hero after she traced her school’s stolen minibus following a break-in.

Year Six pupil turned Sherlock after she was greeted at school one day with the news that there had been a burglary and the minibus had been stolen.

Fenani met with a friend in the afternoon and both girls went looking for the van after school.

To everyone’s delight, she found the minibus in Nottingham Drive near to St Matthew’s School.

A passer-by who heard the girls’ excitement phoned the school to let them know that the van had been found. And it was later retrieved.

Now Fenani has been presented with a citizenship award in recognition of her detective work.

She was presented with the award last week on the same day that she was named head girl at Gaskell Primary School.

A break-in happened at the school in Halliwell in the early hours of the morning on September 11.

Burglars took the keys of one of four school minibuses at around 3am before returning two hours later and tried to take another.

Police arrived at the scene at 5.45am and told the school caretaker that the culprits were likely to be local to the area.

Deputy head Miss Sarah Barlow said: “When the children came to school in the day, we had two doors boarded up, so they started to ask what happened.

"We told them in assembly to keep a look out.

"We said, when you get home tonight, keep an eye out for the bus.”

Miss Barlow said: “Fenani actually went looking for it with her friend which is really nice. That’s how much they care about it.”

After speaking to the children, the school sent a text message to parents letting them know about the break-in and appealing to them for help.

Pupils raised around £20,000 over the last three years for the four minibuses which are regularly used for school trips, including one to Moses Gate planned for that week which had to be cancelled.

Miss Barlow said: “The children worked really hard for the minibuses. They were so upset. It’s given them so many opportunities.”

She praised Fenani for stepping up to help find the vehicle, and added: “It’s one of those qualities we want in our children. They all worked so hard for the minibus.”

During the break in, the culprits also tried to take the safe and another van, but the battery was dead as it had not been used all summer.

They also managed to take a tin from one of the desks but fortunately there was nothing in it.

After the incident, all four vans were taken off the site to be fixed and fitted with security trackers.