Bonfire rages out of control

A fireman whose team rushed out to Cookham Weir Island on Saturday to deal with a late night bonfire has criticised the youths who started it.

Maidenhead blue watch manager Miles Cooper arrived at the scene with two fire engines at around 10.30pm, and was joined by a boat crew from Reading and a police officer who was also called out.

The team were alerted by a publican from the nearby Ferry pub in Sutton Road who had seen balls of flame billowing up from the bonfire.

When they arrived the youths had gone, but a family who had moored their boat nearby said they had seen the group chucking petrol over the flames and an empty petrol container was found on the scene.

Mr Cooper said the youngsters had been 'mucking around' and added it was the 'sort of thing where people don't realise the consequences of their actions'.