A HERO driver risked his life by driving his burning lorry away from homes and highly flammable materials when his load of straw was set alight.

Police are treating the fire at Red Barn Drive, on the Westfields Trading Estate in Hereford, as arson and are studying CCTV footage, which shows a gang of youths running away from the scene.

Dave Williams had just settled down to sleep in his cab when he felt movement at the back of the lorry at about 11pm on Tuesday. When he looked out of the sunroof, he saw the load of straw he was carrying had caught fire.

Mr Williams, who lives in Kingstone, called 999 and bravely drove the vehicle away from nearby homes and hazards, including a paint warehouse and garage.

He then unhitched the trailer and drove the cab a safe distance away.

"I didn't really think about it," he said.

"I just wanted to get as far out in the open as possible but another lorry was partly blocking the road. I couldn't pass him as bundles of burning straw were falling off and I couldn't risk setting another lorry alight, so I left the trailer and moved to a safe place.

"If I had stayed where I was, the surrounding units would definitely have caught fire."

Mervin Thomas, who runs the haulage company Mr Williams works for, said his driver had saved lives with his quick thinking.

"To be in that frame of mind where he was prepared to risk his own life to save others when most of us would panic was very brave. He made all the right judgements," said Mr Thomas.

Simon Parslow, manager at the Crown Trade Decorator Centre, where the lorry was originally parked, saw the fire from his home and went to investigate, fearing his work place was alight.

"The driver did well, we were lucky he woke up," he said.

Members of the public grew concerned when they heard a number of "explosions" but these were the tyres of the lorry bursting in the blaze.

Police cordoned off the area while firefighters fought the blaze. It took about five hours to fully extinguish the fire, which caused some damage to offices and property on the Sun Valley site.

Anyone with information about the incident can call DS Roger Bates on 08457 444888.