A TEENAGER used newspaper to set fire to the top deck of a bus before calmly warning the driver as he got off.

Joshua Bryant had been drinking when he got on to the number 73 First bus at Filton Avenue to go into town. He went to the top deck and methodically tore up a newspaper, put it on several seats and set it alight.

Bryant, 19, then got off the bus while the driver desperately raced upstairs and stamped on the fires to put them out.

The next day Bryant handed himself in to police when he saw his picture as part of a police appeal in the Evening Post.

He pleaded guilty to arson and was given 16 months in a young offender's institution by a judge at Bristol Crown Court.

John Penny, prosecuting, said: "At just after midnight on September 16 last year Mr Bryant was on Filton Avenue and boarded a number 73 First Bus which was headed for the centre of Bristol. Mr Bryant went upstairs leaving the only other six passengers on board downstairs. When the bus reached the St James Barton roundabout came downstairs and told the driver there was a fire upstairs. At this point Mr Bryant got off the bus and other passengers and members of the public told the driver there was a fire and he went upstairs to discover there was.

"There was a lot of smoke and he found a lot of bits of Metro newspaper burning on seats. He described most of the back seat being alight and two other seats with fires on them.

"He managed to pull the newspaper off the seats and stamp them out."

CCTV footage from the bus was shown in court.

Mr Penny said: "The fire can be seen burning to the left and the right of the screen.

"Another fire is then apparently started on a seat in front and then Mr Bryant is seen standing in front of the camera and apparently starting a fourth fire. The top deck fills with smoke. He goes to the back of the bus where it is not apparent what he is doing because of the smoke and then comes back to the front where a fire can be seen to be burning.

"The footage then cuts to the driver's cab where he is seen to suggest there is a fire upstairs. At this point he was accused of starting the fire but denies it."

Mr Penny said damage to the bus was assessed at £700 but that was before labour and did not take into account that the bus also had to be taken off the road.

Mr Penny continued: "A still of the defendant from CCTV footage was published in the Evening Post and he handed himself in the next day at Southmead police station and indicated it was him in the picture. He was arrested."

Mr Penny said Bryant had previous convictions for public order offences, assault and possession of cannabis.

David Miller, defending, said: "This defendant has never behaved as bizarrely or as dangerously before as he did on this occasion. He has no history of setting fire to anything. Often someone who has a fascination for fires demonstrates that fascination from an early age.

"I would urge the court to accept that although this was bizarre and potentially dangerous, this episode is unique and is not as part of a pattern of dangerous conduct."

He added: "Having done a bizarre, stupid and dangerous thing whilst in drink he did alert the bus driver and although he was not brave enough to stick around he told his father and went to the police the next day.

"There is every reason to be optimistic for the future."

Judge Neil Ford told Bryant: "There must be a custodial sentence in this case because the offending is so serious. This was deliberate fire starting in a public amenity which was part of the public transport system."

He advised Bryant to avoid drinking once he was released.

First spokeswoman Karen Baxter said: "We are pleased that the police have managed to secure a successful prosecution against this individual.

"The damage to our vehicle, caused as a direct result of this person's actions, was significant. Thankfully, our on-board CCTV cameras were able to record the incident, though."