Houseboat owners today told how they feared for their lives as firefighters battled to prevent their homes being destroyed in a large grass fire.

Some of the owners fought alongside the firemen to contain the flames, which were being whipped up by the wind and driven towards their floating homes in Benfleet Creek.

Police were today questioning a 17-year-old youth suspected of having deliberately started the blaze. The fire, which destroyed four hectares of grass, broke out at about 3pm yesterday and quickly took hold.

Houseboat owner Norman Boobyer, 53, told today how the thick, choking smoke trapped him and a neighbour.

Norman, who has lived on his boat for seven years, said when he saw the plumes of smoke, his first thought was for one of his neighbours.

He said: "I ran along the mud and found her wandering about with her dog under her arm, choking from the smoke.

"We could not get away because the smoke was so bad, so we went into a boat and blocked all the holes up as much as we could. Then, when we got a chance to make a run for it, we did.

"The smoke was coming right onto us. It was black and so thick that the helicopter had to use its lights to see us. It has happened here before but I have never seen it burn so quickly."

Eight fire crews from Canvey, Hadleigh, Southend and Basildon took two hours to bring the flames under control.

A call originally went out that two children had been spotted playing in the grass, but they were later reported as being safe and well.

Houseboat residents were evacuated, but no homes were damaged in the blaze.

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