ARSONISTS who torched a dustbin outside a high school could have caused a serious blaze if the fire had not been spotted by an observant police officer.

PC Simon Hallam was on patrol at 8.30pm on Wednesday when he noticed a wheelie bin alight outside the Chase High School, Malvern.

He called the fire brigade and the fire was put out within half-an-hour.

"The school had been broken into and there was evidence of vandalism. It would seem that had we not been patrolling the area the damage caused by the fire could have been much worse," said PC Hallam, of Malvern Police.

A spokeswoman for Worcester Police today confirmed that the incident was being treated as arson and the fire could have caused a lot more damage.

"If it was not for PC Hallam we're sure the damage could've been quite severe," she said.

"We would obviously like to hear from anyone who knows about the fire or saw anyone acting suspiciously to contact us."

Alec Mackie, a spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade, said a crew from Malvern attended the incident.

"Someone had started a fire in a large wheelie bin and had moved it from the collection point to a nearby building.

"If it had not been for the observant police constable there could have been a serious fire at the school," he said.

In January, 1998, two teenagers were quizzed by police after an arson attack at the Geraldine Road school. The fire broke out in the languages block and was spotted by a former pupil. Books and video tapes were destroyed and the staff room was badly damaged.

Anyone with information on this latest fire should call Worcester police on 01905 723888 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.