OTTERY S Tar Barrels boss has said the mindless yob who caused an explosion at the event could have killed someone.

OTTERY'S Tar Barrels boss has said the mindless yob who caused an explosion last night could have killed someone.

Ottery Carnival Committee chairman Graham Rowland has slammed the "irresponsible idiot" who caused the blast by throwing an aerosol into a lit barrel and hopes he is brought to justice.

He said the event had been one of the most incident free in recent years, after carnival committee members had stepped up safety measures.

He said: "We had put so many things in place but how can you control something like that?"

"There could have been fatalities, I don't know why they did it.