FIRE DESTROYS CARAVAN

ARSONISTS destroyed a caravan which contained highly explosive gas cylinders, damaging a nearby house.

Firefighters were called to the blaze, in a car park at the back of shops in Hyde Square, Upper Beeding, at 9pm on Sunday.

The caravan was believed to be a popular haunt for local youths. Residents had earlier seen candles burning inside it. One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she had heard a group of youths in the car park and looked out of her window.

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She told the Herald: "They are alw-ays causing trouble." The woman added her neighbours had used buckets of water to try to douse the flames while firefighters were called.

She said: "The kids are out of control and are making local residents' lives a misery. Many people who have recently moved to this area are now regretting it.

"If they have now taken to arson, what is to follow? It could have turned into manslaughter easily." Crew commander Frank Fenn was one of the firefighters from Steyning who spent an hour bringing the blaze under control.

He said: "It was well alight when we got there. It could have been much worse because it was next to some garages, and the house next door was damaged by radiated heat. The fire could have easily gone into the roof space."

Police urged anyone with information about the fire, or the caravan and its owner, to contact them on 0845 6070999.