POLICE have defended their decision to caution a man who handed himself in after attempting to set fire to a petrol station.

The police were responding to a story in the Weekly News last week which said an offender had tried to start two separate blazes.

When the first fire went out, he tried to light a second fire using paper towels from a dispenser.

Inspector Nick Bailey who leads the Widnes neighbourhood policing unit, said a caution - also known as a reprimand or final warning - was a serious punishment.

He said that since changes to the law were made in the wake of the Soham Inquiry, a caution leaves an indelible mark on a person's record and could have major implications for their future career.

Inspector Bailey said that three days after an incident on May 12, a man presented himself to police after hearing about the incident on the radio and suspecting he may have committed the offence.

But police only had enough evidence to caution the man even though he had handed himself in.

He claims the owners of the petrol station, who announced last week they would be pressing for further action, have 'accepted' the punishment.

Mr Bailey said: 'There was no supporting evidence available in the form of CCTV footage or independent witnesses.

'Cheshire Police issued a Press appeal for information and as a result a man handed himself in and has been brought to justice.

'He received a caution which is a form of police punishment that should not be treated lightly.

'The caution, along with his fingerprints, DNA and photograph, will remain on police file and is disclosable by law in certain circumstances.

'In order to give someone a caution, you have to arrest them first.'

He added: 'The local NPU Inspector has spoken to Total garages to explain the action taken, which they have accepted.'