Pub blaze 'may have been joke'

The blaze, which gutted the Mill Pub, Willingdon Drove, left staff homeless and the building a charred shell.

Drinkers, bar and kitchen staff fled for their lives a week ago after the fire spread from the bin area of the pub, at the rear of the building, and quickly spread to the timber roof.

Detective Sergeant Colin Dowle, one of the investigating officers on Operation Damp, said: "It is not believed to have been a targeted attack, more a prank that has got out of hand."

But other officers involved in the case say whether deliberate or accidental those responsible for the blaze were still guilty of criminal damage.

Chief Inspector Pete Mills takes charge of the Eastbourne sector on Monday from Chief Inspector Martin Stevens.

He said: "We have a number of lines of inquiry and we are anticipating it is going to come to a successful conclusion. In the meantime, we will keep working on it.

"Whether it is a prank or not, if you destroy or damage property belonging to someone else, intentionally or recklessly, you are guilty of an offence even if you acting in a prankish manner."

Detective Sergeant Nick Porter said there had been little information to indicate whether the fire had been a calculated act or a prank that had got out of control.

In the meantime, police continue to appeal to members of the public to hand over any video footage taken on the night which might yield clues to the identity of those responsible.

Hundreds of people lined the road watching up to 50 firefighters tackle the flames and gain control over the fire Miraculously, no one was hurt and a nearby Travel Inn was untouched.

Mr Mills said: "Somebody knows who has done this and we want them to come forward before anything worse happens."

Anyone with information about the fire, which broke out at about 8pm last Tuesday, is asked to contact Eastbourne CID on 0845 6070999.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers free and in confidence on 0800 555111.