Police have issued a plea after Oxfordshire teens lit several 'reckless' fires in a barn.
Thames Valley Police has asked parents and guardians to speak with their children about the dangers of fires in these hot conditions.
This is after the Wantage and Grove Neighbourhood Police Team found between 20 and 30 teenagers gathered in an abandoned barn during a patrol last week.
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A spokesperson said: "During one evening patrol, officers spotted a fire in the distance.
"As we got closer, we discovered around 20-30 teenagers gathered in an abandoned barn, where two fires had been lit in a wooded area surrounded by bone-dry fields following the recent prolonged dry weather.
"We understand that young people will meet up with friends and make memories, but lighting fires in these conditions posed a serious risk to the surrounding countryside, farmland and wildlife."
Officers subsequently dispersed the group and extinguished the fires.
"One member of the team has always wanted to be a firefighter," the spokesperson added, "so this was finally their moment!"
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On a more serious note, the team encouraged parents and guardians to warn their kids about the dangers of fire, especially considering the ongoing heatwave which will see temperatures rise to 26°C over the coming week.
They said: "In all seriousness, this is one of the most reckless things we have come across in some time.
They added: "What might seem like harmless fun could very quickly have led to a major incident."
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