A shipping container caught fire just minutes after children were seen playing in it.

Fire crews from Preston Circus and Hove were called to a blaze in an ISO container at the back of shops in Moulsecoomb Way in Brighton at 6.30pm last night.

Firefighters were at the scene for more than three hours but fortunately no one was injured in the incident.

A firefighter said: “All the doors were closed on the container and smoke was coming out which is always an issue because if you open the doors and introduce oxygen there is a risk it will go bang.

“It may sound a simple but it was quite dangerous.”