The boss of Keighley Cougars last night saved the club's ground from a major fire disaster after disturbing a group of young arsonists.

Managing director Peter Rowe said Cougar Park's main stand could have burnt to the ground if he had not been working late at the Hard Ings Road site.

Mr Rowe had been in his office at the rugby league ground around 7.30pm when he realised something was wrong.

"I heard some kind of running noise up and down the back of the stand by the directors' box. I went up and banged on the door to let them know someone was there," said Mr Rowe. The noise disturbed the youngsters and Mr Rowe saw four boys, aged 14 or 15, running from the scene.

"I thought they might have been trying to break into the press box so I went up to have a look around."

But as he moved further into the stand, Mr Rowe noticed a strong smell of smoke and realised what the gang had been up to.

"They had set alight a plastic bottle and some paper. The fire was not very big so I stamped it out with my feet."

It was then it dawned on him what could have happened if the ground had been empty.

"God forbid if I hadn't been working late. The worse scenario is that the whole stand would have gone up," said Mr Rowe.

Although the structure, built in 1935, is steel fabricated, most of the large stand is made of wood.

"As it was, the damage was minor. The wood had blistered and there was some ash around the scene. But things could have been a lot worse. If the stand had burned down it would have been a major catastrophe for the club."

Cougars chairman Bob Chapman said: "Peter did a great job and we were extremely fortunate that he was there and able to tackle it so quickly.

"If he hadn't been there, goodness knows what might have happened - we could have lost the whole stand, which would have been a disaster.''

Mr Chapman added: "We've had problems for quite a while now with people congregating in the stand. We've had at least two or three small fires in the stand over the last 18 months or so and the press box has been vandalised on numerous occasions.

"We've been discussing the issue with the police and it seems there's an on-going problem in the area with vandalism.

"We're planning to organise a get- together here with the police for our neighbours and other local businesses so we can try and develop a joint strategy to overcome the problems.''

Mr Rowe said: "I am only glad I was working late. I find I can get most paperwork done in the evenings."

He added there was a long-running problem with youths getting into the stadium and claimed some used it as a hidden spot to take drugs.

"The problem is that the ground is open but quite secluded. There is a right of way down the back of the main stand which we want moved 150 yards away by the allotments."

He said the club had commissioned a safety report which had highlighted this problem, prompting Mr Rowe to voice his concerns to the Council.

A Keighley police spokesman said the incident was being treated as arson.

Anyone who saw youths acting suspiciously should telephone police on (01535) 617059 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111.

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