Marlow Rowing Club has received an insurance settlement of almost £500,000, nearly four months after a devastating fire at its historic clubhouse.

It has also emerged that the fire was caused by bungling burglars who twisted a powerful floodlight so that it was facing the wooden clubhouse while they broke into a shed to steal power tools.

It is thought the heat from the powerful lamp ignited the wood.

The six-figure settlement will be used to rebuild the riverside clubhouse in Bisham Road and modernise some aspects.

Despite the damage to the building, chairman Peter Hunt said the club continued to thrive and gave an 'optimistic forecast' that things would be 'back to normal' in about 18 months time.

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