Staff at Huddle in Lymington High Street jump into action after arson attack on Waterstones on Wednesday evening

QUICK-thinking staff at a Lymington bar jumped into action to tackle a fire at a book store in the High Street last night (Wednesday).

Waterstones was targeted at around 10.30pm, when Nigel Blay, owner of Huddle, and a colleague tried to put out the flames while they waited for emergency services.

He told the A&T : “I was in the kitchen doing some cleaning when [barman] Peter noticed the fire. Someone had set binbags alight outside Waterstones and it was quite a sizeable fire.

“We grabbed our fire extinguishers and got it right down until the emergency services arrived. It could have been very bad.”

He added the trouble in the town was down to “a handful of individuals” but had submitted clear CCTV of a suspect to officers.

Earlier in the evening crews from Lymington responded to a fire involving a plastic waste bin in a toilet block on New Street in the town.

It’s believed the fire was started deliberately.

Mayor of Lymington and Pennington, Cllr Jack Davies, told the A&T the incidents would be a worry for local businesses “who have been expressing their concerns to the police for ages about increasing anti-social behaviour”.

“My heart goes out to the staff at Waterstones who are left, literally, picking up the pieces of this latest incident.

“Thankfully, due to the quick action of staff at Huddle, and the work of our local firefighters, further damage was prevented.”

He added: “I’d like to hear what the police and crime commissioner intends to do to tackle the blight of criminal activity in Lymington and Pennington.”

A resident who shared news of the fire on social media said: “Four idiots just tried setting fire to Waterstones.

“Thankfully the team at Huddle noticed before the whole front of the building went up and were able to keep it down with their fire extinguishers while waiting for the fire brigade.

“Hope those who live above are okay. There's CCTV of the whole thing so I'm sure the culprits will be found easily.”

Local shop owner Alison Arwas added: “I am so shocked by these incidents. I don't understand – it just makes no sense. As a business owner this is very worrying and so sad for Lymington.”

The A&T has approached Hampshire police for comment.