A fire which wrecked a derelict holiday park and sent a pall of smoke over a wide are of Devon was started by a bored teenager who lit it ’for fun’.

Smoke from the blaze at the former Pontins site at Brixham was visible over the whole of Torbay and the fire service received dozens of calls about the fire in June 2014.

Rick Edwards, aged 20, who was a teenager at the time, started the fire in the abandoned amusement arcade after going onto the site with a group of young friends.

He started the fire for fun but fled in panic when it spread out of control into neighbouring buildings, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Edwards, of Higher Green, South Brent, admitted arson and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, with a year’s supervision by Recorder Mr Philip Mott, QC.

He told him he needs supervision from the probation service to avoid further offending by improving his thinking skills.

Mr Gordon Richings, prosecuting, said the fire started at the 42 acre site of the former holiday park which is now derelict at around 5 pm on June 5, 2014.

"He said:"There was a report of fire and a number of youths were seen running away. The fire could not have been caused by either an electrical fault or gas because neither had been connected for some time.

Read more in the Ivybridge & South Brent Gazette