Children's centre arson attack

Thick black smoke rose 30ft high as fierce flames ripped through Shelby Hall in Shelby Road, Durrington, after vandals torched the hut using petrol shortly before 2.45am on Friday.

Up to 15 residents dressed in their night clothes looked on as fire crews took more than a hour to tackle the blaze, which completely destroyed the wooden hut.

Witnesses stood 10ft away could feel "intense heat" coming from the building after residents living nearby were woken by the strong smell of burning timber and rubber. Toys, cooking equipment, arts and crafts materials and sweets worth more than 150 were all destroyed in the attack.

Sonia Cole, a nurse, who lives doors away from the centre, saw fire engines screech around the corner into Shelby Road when she returned from work at around 2.50am. "When I saw people outside I ran down the road to find out what was going on. You couldn't see the play school under the big pall of thick, black smoke," said the 28-year-old.

"The heat was intense. You could hear wood cracking. The glass window panes were shattered and there was a strong smell of burning rubber."

As the blaze appeared to be under control, firefighters placed a water hose underneath the smouldering ruins and orange flames roared up once more, she added.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, who brought in Hattie the arson sniffer dog to see if any accelerants were used, say the fire was started with petrol poured through the letter box.

Power was cut to around 40 homes for more than three hours from 3am over fears a power cable leading to the hut could cause an explosion.

Youths were heard shouting: "fire, fire", 30 minutes before 999 was dialled, witnesses say.

Sue O'Keeffe, 52, play scheme leader, was woken in the middle of the night after a neighbour banged on the front door to tell her what happened. Recalling the drama, she said: "I heard banging but I couldn't think what was going on. Then my son came running into the bedroom and said: 'mum the hut is on fire'.

"My husband, Paul, jumped out of bed to get the keys thinking it was just a little one. But when I looked out the window I saw bright orange flames burning high in the air, illuminating the night sky, and I knew they'd done a proper job.

"Although I am devastated, I thank God that no kids were inside or they would certainly have been killed. It was like a tinderbox."

The Shelby hut was home to 23 youngsters every Tuesday evening to play games, paint, draw and eat sweets. Happy

Days pre-school also used the centre until January.

Parents on the estate have voiced anger that arsonists have robbed their little ones of somewhere to play.

Miss Cole, whose youngsters Danielle, nine, and six-year-old Connor, were regulars at the play scheme since it was started four years ago, said: "I am devastated for my kids because they just loved playing up there and having fun with other children their own age. My little girl used to go day in, day out but now she has nowhere to go.

"It was used to keep the younger kids off the street and away from the older ones but that has been taken away."

The centre, which has been running for 20 years, was also used for monthly tenants' association meetings. It is owned by Southern Housing Group, a housing association.

Spokeswoman Bridget Gauntlett said: "This is a huge loss to the community. It is run by volunteers and encourages children to get involved in sporting and education activities and outings, plus classes including dancing."

Sergeant Paul Stevens, of Worthing police, said: "The community has lost a valuable asset and we need to bring those responsible to court. We are treating the fire as arson and would appeal to anyone in the area at the time, or who saw anything suspicious, to come forward."

Neighbours are planning fund raising events including a street party and collections to help replace toys and equipment lost in the blaze. Jackie Blake, manager of

Durrington Community Centre, has promised to do "everything she can" to help residents who relied on Shelby Hall to continue voluntary groups. "If we could accommodate them and we have the space then we would be only too happy to help," she said.

Mrs O'Keeffe, of Manitoba Way, Durrington, has been "overwhelmed" by support since the fire. Kieran and Charlie Sibthorpe, four and six, who both used the play scheme, called at her home the following day to deliver a handmade card saying: "We will miss the youth club. Hope we get a new one".

She said: "Hopefully, if any good at all can come out of this, it is that the community will become even stronger. We are determined not to let those people responsible beat us."