A firefighter has condemned arsonists for putting people's welfare at risk.

Niall Howell spoke of his anger after a fire crew had to tackle a deliberately started blaze instead of answering a call to free a child trapped in railings.

Firefighters from Roedean were called to Whitehawk in Brighton on Saturday afternoon where arsonists had set fire to a patch of grass.

Ten minutes later, another call came in about a child needing help in Kemp Town, Brighton.

Because the Roedean crew, which usually covers the area, was busy with the fire, a crew had to be called out from Preston Circus, which is farther away.

Mr Howell, a leading firefighter at Roedean said: "In the end it turned out the child did not need the help of the fire brigade but this illustrates why it is so important for these fires not to be started.

"The child could have urgently needed us but would have had to wait longer for help while a crew from farther away was called in.

"That means he would have been frightened and distressed for longer.

"When we arrived at Swanborough Drive in Whitehawk we discovered the grass alight and that it had been deliberately lit.

"We were able to put it out relatively quickly but it still took up our time.

"Because we were having to deal with this, a child might have been suffering elsewhere."

The Argus reported last week that children are believed to be behind a spate of grass fires in the Whitehawk area.

Firefighters are urging parents to keep tight controls on their children to try to cut the number of incidents.