Villagers in Berinsfield are struggling to come to terms with a vicious race attack which has stunned their community, writes Tim Hughes.

The attack, in which black teenager Chris Barton, 17, was set on fire by a gang of racists, has appalled people on the close-knit 1960s estate.

Community leaders and householders have been quick to condemn the violent assault and are keen to defend the reputation of their village.

Chris suffered burns to his face, arms and hands after unknown attackers doused him with petrol, set him alight and left him for dead.

The terrified teenager told the Oxford Mail yesterday that he feared he would be forced to flee his home. Villagers have reacted with disbelief to the attack, which police have confirmed was racially motivated.

Michael Taylor, headmaster of Berinsfield Primary School, said people had been stunned by the brutality of the assault.

He said: "We are very shocked and disturbed - this has sickened people.

"This is a caring and supportive community full of people who care passionately about the village. We have families of all races, colours and creeds and they are accepted and well-integrated into the community."

He said the school itself had made great efforts to stamp out racism, and described the village as a tolerant community. He said: "It would be wrong to say there is no bullying in the school, but when it occurs it is never of a racist nature. We prepare children to be welcoming to everyone and to realise that there is a wider world out there. I hope the community outside reflects that."

He added: "There is always going to be a small minority of people who don't represent the community's ideals - and Berinsfield now has a high profile because of them. "However, it is no worse here than Wallingford or Oxford. The attack is not a reflection of the village."

Berinsfield area beat officer, Pc John Cornelius, said the incident had shocked police officers and villagers alike. He said: "This was a vicious and callous attack and is one of the most serious incidents that we have ever come across in Berinsfield.

'This is a close community and I have never known anything like it happen here before.

"However, there is no doubt in my mind that this was an isolated incident. The village is as safe as anywhere else."

On Sunday, parishioners at Berinsfield's Parish Church of St Mary and St Berin offered prayers for to Mr Barton and other victims of racial abuse.

The Rev Simon Hill, vicar of Berinsfield, said: "We feel disbelief, sadness and shock at this crime. There is also a sense that it has never happened before.

"It is a close-knit community and is no different from society as a whole. But it is not an aggressive place and it makes me sad to read some of the stories that have been printed about the village.

"It is a place where children play outside and in that way we are no different from any other Oxfordshire village.

"It is a community that is looking forward and when something like this happens it knocks people's confidence." The idea that the village is home to racist thugs has also been dismissed by members of Berinsfield's black community. Correl Gittens and her husband Hitford, who originally come from the Caribbean island of Antigua, have lived on the estate for 33 years.

The couple have raised three children in the village and insist they have never been racially abused. Mrs Gittens, 62, a retired auxiliary nurse, said: "There are not many coloured families here but we have never had any problems. People are very friendly and we both feel safe. It is a place you can walk around at any time of day."

She added: "The attack was very sad and I hope it doesn't happen again."

Many villagers are fiercely proud of their community and are keen to stress the positive aspects of living on the estate. Parish council gardener Dennis Welch, 67, has lived in Berinsfield for 20 years and said the attack was the first of its type.

He added: "I think it is disgraceful. I have never heard of any racism here. It is a good place to live, whatever the colour of your skin."

Gavin Culley, 23, relief manager at Berinsfield's only public house - The Village Inn - agreed.

He said: "Before I came here I had a very poor impression of the place, but it is not deserved. It has got a bad name because of years of trouble. But a reputation is easy to build and hard to destroy.

"The people here are sound individuals and are not racists. Everyone has been surprised and sickened by what has happened. It is a terrible shame." Detectives believe the racist thugs who set fire to Chris Barton are unlikely to live in the village.

Chris was attacked as he walked along Wimblestraw Road, on his way home early on Friday morning. The attackers sprayed petrol at him from a car, then got out, shouted racist insults and set him alight with cigarette lighters. The gang laughed as they walked away, leaving him in flames.

Police investigating the incident say they are no closer to identifying the attackers but claim it is unlikely that they live in Berinsfield.

Det Sgt Geoff Webb, of Didcot CID, said officers had completed door-to-door inquiries in the village and were now examining CCTV footage from garages and commercial premises to try and identify the vehicle used by the gang.

He said: "We are still treating this as a serious racial attack and are appealing to the public to assist us with our inquiries. "We have no evidence to suggest the attackers were from Berinsfield. It would be very unusual if they came from such a close-knit village.

"There are other black families on the estate who have never had any problems, so we would be surprised if the attackers lived there."

He repeated an appeal for members of the public to come forward with any information about the attack. He said: "There is a lot of ill-feeling on the estate that an attack like this has happened. Yet people seem happy to contact the media but not to contact the police. However they can ring us in total confidence and then we can progress."

He also asked other members of the black community to stay calm. He said: "This was a very nasty incident but it was a one-off. People have no need to worry. Incidents like this are very, very rare and people's safety is not in question.

"I don't think people will experience any problems, but if they do, they should come to us and we will treat their complaints with the utmost importance."

Call Didcot CID on 01235 776000.

Story date: Tuesday 11 April

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.