TWO teenage troublemakers caught setting a fire in the Pyes Mill picnic cabin at Loddon have been made to work in the community as a punishment.The two, aged 17 and 18, who were seen by a witness who reported it to police, even used a mobile phone to film what they doing.

TWO teenage troublemakers caught setting a fire in the Pyes Mill picnic cabin at Loddon have been made to work in the community as a punishment.

The two, aged 17 and 18, who were seen by a witness who reported it to police, even used a mobile phone to film what they doing. This was later confiscated as evidence.

Their 54-second footage showed them setting fire to objects in the cabin and throwing aerosols on to the fire, causing minor explosions.

Fortunately there were no injuries as a result and the cabin was not damaged, although the grass was scorched.

As part of the Norfolk Constabulary and South Norfolk Council-backed restorative justice campaign, the pair met representatives from the council to be put to work litter picking after the incident during the evening of Thursday, July 2.

They were warned they had just missed out on being charged.

In another incident at around the same time, again at Pyes Mill, another teenager, a 15-year-old, vandalised a gate. He too will face restorative justice.

Colin Gould, who represents Loddon at South Norfolk Council, is a former police officer in the town.

He said: “These youngsters behaved like idiots. They let themselves, their families and their community down. The instant, restorative justice they have received humiliates them in front of their peers, who have also got the message. It means our community benefits by being a cleaner, and a safer place because they won't be doing this sort of thing again.”