Two friends caused a fire at a Norfolk beauty spot with a disposable barbecue at the height of the summer heatwave, a court was told.

Members of the public rushed to put out the hedgerow blaze at Bawsey Country Park, near King's Lynn, on August 14.

Darius Lazauskas and Aleksejs Sokolovs admitted arson when they appeared before Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Lazauskas, 46, and Sokolovs, 45, were warned by other park users that it was bad idea to use the barbecue at all in tinderbox conditions of 34 degrees Celsius on the day of the fire.

A short time later an off-duty officer heard someone shout “fire!” and saw the hedgerow in flames.

Using several buckets of water and an old tent canvas, he helped put out the blaze.

Ashley Petchey, prosecuting, said: “The officer says there were several other members of the public, some bringing buckets of water and others beating the flames with branches.

“At the time, we were in a heatwave and it’s completely stupid, one witness said, to have a fire on such dry ground near the trees.

“Neither defendant had anything to stop the fire or control it.

“One defendant picked up the full barbecue and threw it away, which actually could have started another fire.

“The off-duty officer said he can only state how stupid and reckless this all was and the actions of the males had little or no thought for public safety.”

Hugh Cauthery, for Sokolovs, said in mitigation: “The case has been put on a reckless basis and he accepts it on a reckless basis.

“He would say that there were other people in the area using barbecues.

“The reason it got out of hand was the sudden onset of wind, as can happen, and he simply hadn’t factored that in as a reasonable possibility.”

Charlotte Winchester, for Lazauskas, said it was extremely dry conditions and her client accepted that having the barbecue was “very foolish”.

“He’s remorseful and knows he’s been stupid,” she added.

Sokolovs, of Valentine Close, Boston, Lincolnshire, was fined £583 and ordered to pay £233 victim surcharge and £145 costs.

Lazauskas, of Carlton Road, Boston, was fined £383 and told to pay £298 in costs and surcharge.