CHILD arsonists are believed to be behind a fire that destroyed a food warehouse in Stratford this week.

Four fire crews and an ambulance rushed to the warehouse used by Stratford Foods Ltd, which is by the Amec site on the Timothy's Bridge Road industrial estate, to tackle the blaze at around 11.10am on Monday morning.

Hundreds of staff from nearby buildings had to be evacuated as the fire spread very quickly, helped on by the large building and stacks of wooden pallets, which "go up like a bonfire" according to assistant divisional officer Kevin Gardner of Stratford Fire Station.

Mr Gardner said the blaze was almost certainly caused deliberately and the most likely culprits were youngsters seen hanging around the area just minutes before the smoke began to appear.