POLICE have effectively closed the criminal investigation into the Swinley Forest fires, with no-one being charged.

Officers investigating the devastating inferno in May - which destroyed 150 hectares of woodland and forced residents and business to evacuate - arrested three teenage boys at the time.

But the boys, 13-year-old and 14-year-old from Bracknell plus a 14-year-old from Sandhurst, have since been released without charge through lack of evidence. The cause of the fires will never be known, the authorities say, because of their large scale.

Thames Valley Police spokesman Adam Fisher told the News this week it was not pursuing any other lines of inquiry and added: "In terms of the investigation, there are no outstanding inquiries at this stage. However, if members of the public have any new information about who may be responsible for this incident they should contact Thames Valley Police via 0845 8 505 505." Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Nicole Target said: "It became apparent early on that it would be an impossible task to track back the original cause or cases of the fire due to the extent of the devastation.

"That's why we put out all those warning about barbecues, matches and glass because any of those things might have been responsible. There was nothing to suppose it was deliberate although we did report two people trying to start fires while the fire was ongoing, which was extraordinary." Comments can be left below or email letters@bracknellnews.co.uk