The hunt was continuing today for serial arsonist David Blagdon, who has escaped from an open prison.

A major search was launched for the 47-year-old, who was serving a life sentence at Gloucestershire's Leyhill Open Prison, when he absconded from a working party on Tuesday.

Blagdon slipped away from his prison guard while he and six fellow prisoners were gardening at East Woodlands, Marshfield, near Bristol. He hasn't been seen since.

Thames Valley Police were immediately alerted in case Blagdon decided to return to Kingston Lisle, Wantage, where he lived before he was jailed.

In 1978, he was jailed for life after pleading guilty to arson at St Laurence's Church in South Hinksey.

A spokesman for the Home Office Prison Service said: "So far, Mr Blagdon has not been found and the search for him will continue."

Blagdon had undergone risk assessment before he was allowed to join the working party outside the prison.

Leyhill is a Category D jail and its inmates are not considered a danger to the public.

However, police have warned the public not to approach Blagdon if they spot him.

In 1995, he told the Oxford Mail that he had tried to set fire to the church, which survived the blaze, because he was confused following the death of his parents.

Anyone with information should telephone police on 0800 555111.

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