Andover’s firefighters were called to a fire this morning (April 3) after two people’s burning passions spiralled out of control.

Firecrews from Andover’s fire station were called to Ridges Copse at 8:47am following reports of a fire in the woods. On arrival, crews found a camp fire left unattended, with two persons “undertaking adult activities” nearby.

The copse couple had disappeared by the time crews reached the scene, with the fire extinguished using knapsack pumps and a hose reel. A stop was called at 9:46am.

Under current lockdown rules, groups of up to six, or any number from two households, can meet up outside. However, guidelines still say you should maintain a social distance from them, with advice from the NHS saying that “intimate contact” such as sex is a risk of Covid transmission.

In a statement, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue said: “Crews from Andover Fire Station were called to a camp fire in woods at Ridges Copse, Smannell with two persons undertaking "adult activities" nearby!

“The fire was extinguished using knapsacks pumps and one hose reel, the "hot-doggers" had absconded before our arrival.”

Firefighters recommend that campfires should only be lit in designated areas to avoid the risk of fires getting out of control.

They say that these fires should not be left unattended, and should be extinguished properly after they’ve been used. Any smoking materials should be disposed of, and it should be made sure they are completely put out, to avoid the risk of a fire starting unannounced.

If you find an unattended fire, call fire crews on 999, but don’t attempt to tackle it yourself if it can’t be extinguished with a bucket of water. You should give as much detail about the type of terrain and size of area that’s burning, while give a location using a map reference, app like WhatThreeWords, or by landmarks like farms or pubs.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue also recommend evacuating the area as soon as possible after discovering a fire.