A 21-year-old man who faced jail if convicted of starting a fire that ravaged the kitchen of Mill End community centre, causing £10,000 of damage, has walked free.

Nicholas Poole was the only person present at the members club in Church Lane, Mill End, on Tuesday, April 3, last year when a fire alarm in the kitchen went off.

The part-time barman dialled 999, but found himself under suspicion by officers from Rickmansworth fire station.

A fire investigator was called in and Poole, of Northdown Road, Chalfont St Peter, was arrested and charged with arson.

During the trial this week the seven men and five women of the jury heard from a prosecution expert that pointed the finger of blame at Poole.

He concluded the fire had been going for half an hour and as Poole had been the only person present for an hour, he was the obvious suspect.

However, a defence expert said the fire in a cupboard under the sink could have been smoldering for some time longer before catching fire.

Poole has strong connections to the club having visited it with his grandfather as a boy and then working there.

In the witness box on Wednesday he continued to deny the allegations of arson and insisted the first he knew of the blaze was when he was alerted by the fire alarm going off.

The jury took about half an hour to deliver their not guilty verdict late yesterday afternoon (Thursday) and Poole was acquitted by Judge Gullik.