A large part of the playground at a Tokoroa primary school has been destroyed in a suspicious fire.

Emergency Services were called to the blaze at Strathmore Primary School at 1am.

Swings, walkways, plastic tunnels and rubber matting in the playground have been destroyed.

Tokoroa Fire Chief Dave Morris says they believe an accelerant was used.

There have been a number of suspicious vegetation fires in Tokoroa over the past few weeks.