Buckets Down, Fire Out

It was a normal Wednesday night at Hailey Park. Then one of the mums spotted smoke coming out of the woods — and training stopped.

Players from the U15s and U16s noticed a fire had broken out near their training field. Within minutes the session was abandoned, the boys filled buckets of water from the changing rooms, and the whole squad was across the park dousing the flames.

By the time they got there someone had already knocked the worst of it back — but the boys soaked it thoroughly to make certain it was out. The fire brigade arrived shortly after to check the scene and found little left to do.

Unfortunately while training tonight our U15s and U16s noticed a fire had been started at Hailey Park. They collected buckets of water from the changing rooms and put the fire out. Well done boys for looking after your local community.

Whitchurch RFC, on Facebook

The timing was pure luck. The squad had spent the previous weekend running a car wash to raise money for the boys' upcoming tour — which meant there just happened to be a pile of buckets sitting at the clubhouse.

It could have been a lot worse. If it hadn't been noticed, the whole woods could have gone up with it being so dry. We've seen the wildfires everywhere.

Darren Donovan • Minis & Youth Chair

With Wales baking through an extremely dry spell and wildfires breaking out across the country, a fire in dry woodland beside a public park could have gone very badly indeed. It didn't — because a group of teenagers put their training session on hold and dealt with it.

The response has been phenomenal. The story was picked up by WalesOnline and shared widely across Welsh rugby. Not a bad way to start the season.

#uppachurch