Teenagers named in arson attack

Farm manager Paul Helyar was given the details of the suspected teenagers after he placed posters around the village appealing for help.

He has passed the names and addresses of those concerned on to the police.

He offered a 1,500 reward for information which leads to the prosecution of those responsible for the blaze at Manor Farm.

The fire started about 2.30am on Good Friday. It caused an estimated 200,000 of damage.

A 30sq m steel-framed barn, clad with asbestos, where the fire is believed to have started, was gutted by the flames. They also destroyed about 100 tons of straw and an articulated lorry trailer.

Mr Helyar said: "The sound of the asbestos burning could be heard one-and-a-half miles away at Walberton.

"Local houses in the village were showered with burning ash.

"The fire is thought to have been connected with local teenagers on the rampage in the village the same night where they removed road signs and damaged people's fences."

Some 50 firefighters from Bognor Regis, Bosham, Arundel, Chichester and Littlehampton attended the blaze. Specialist units were deployed when the presence of asbestos became known.

Fire crews stayed at the scene off Church Lane for more than five-and-a-half hours. They allowed the fire to burn out under supervision.

Mr Helyar said minor crime was a sad fact of modern life for farmers.

"The straw barn was one of the largest things we have had affected over the past ten years. But we have had quite a lot of petty thefts and vandalism," he explained.

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