Police are convinced that the string of arsons which has caused hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage to Witney is the work of a small group of youths.

They say there are three prime suspects in a band of children, all aged under 16, several of whom are at children's homes in Kidlington and Oxford.

CID officers have been unable to bring charges because of lack of witnesses and confessions. They are now waiting for forensic evidence to back up their suspicions and renewing their appeal for information.

Flashback: A fireman tackles the blaze

The Oxford Mail has learned that 12 youths have been questioned in connection with all but two of the 11 fires that have swept the town over the past year.

The revelations come amid growing concerns in the town that, apart from the damage, someone's life could soon be lost.

And it has sparked a move by leaders of West Oxfordshire District Council to activate new anti-social behaviour orders.

Council leader Barry Norton and his deputy Verena Hunt were today due to meet the area police commander, Supt John Reeve, at Witney police station and will be asking for names.

Mr Norton said: "Our message is clear if you do not have the powers to do something, give us the names and we will.

"We have the political will to take these people out and put them under curfew. We are not prepared to sit back and wait until somebody is killed. The Home Secretary gave local authorities these powers last year. All we need to know is that youths are suspected of offending on a repetitive basis and we will apply to a court for the order. It would be the first time we have used them, but if needs be we will."

Children's homes in the county are run by Oxfordshire County Council's social services department. Deputy director Phil Hodgson says they have liaised closely with police.

"If any of our children were involved in fire-raising I would have expected our managers to know about it," he said.

"The police have been checking with our children's homes staff. As far as last weekend's fires in Witney, we can account for the movements of all of our children and are confident they were not involved."

Witney's police chief, Insp John Fox, laid out the state of investigations following the latest fires in the town two in one weekend, including the destruction of a historic barn at Cogges Museum.

"I want people to know that the police are doing their utmost to solve and prevent more arson in the town. Arson is an odd crime, there is a strong element of attention-seeking in it.

"As far as our officers are concerned, they have identified the suspects for nine of the fires. It is not a mystery to us who has caused them. We are not looking for anyone else.

"Getting the conclusive evidence is the problem. Forensic evidence is difficult with arson and so far we have no witnesses coming forward.

"But there are three principal suspects. Of the youths we have questioned, three are from children's homes, in Kidlington and Oxford.