Crews called to roaring fire at Portchester Castle – but it’s just gas for a hot air balloon

Firefighters were called at 11.08pm yesterday after someone at Port Solent spotted roaring flames at the English Heritage site from across Portchester Lake. 

While what the caller saw was fire, the reality when crews arrived was much different. 

The castle was not under threat but a man, pictured  above, smiling, had sought ‘somewhere quiet’ to burn off propane he and his team had used for hot air balloon rides. 

Portchester firefighters shared the image on Twitter when they learned the gas was merely being burned so it did not exceed the limit permitted for travel on the cross-channel ferry.