Three girls who started a fire on Sutton High Street have confessed to police.

They were caught on CCTV setting a bag of a rubbish alight next to a tree near The Grapes pub on Sutton High Street on Friday, May 9.

The girls, who have not been arrested, are all 15 and from outside the borough of Sutton.

On Monday, May 19 police appealed through the media to help find the girls.

Within a few hours of a video and stills be released the teenagers were identified.

When the girls were interviewed at Sutton Police station earlier this week, they admitted what they had done.

The Sutton Guardian reported the arson with images and a video of the incident.

They are being dealt with the Triage Youth Restorative Intervention scheme, an initiative between the London Criminal Justice Board and Youth Justice Board, which to reduce youth reoffending by diverting them away from the courts system.

Your Local Guardian:

The girls gather round the tree before starting the fire

As part of the scheme youngsters have to attend a Triage Clinic, where they are supported to stop offending.

For the most minor offences, where the young person is seen as a low reoffending risk, they are usually asked to write a letter of apology.