THREE MEN and a teenage girl have been arrested as part of an investigation into sex offences.

It comes as police have today sealed off a collection of tents in a field near woodland in Chandler's Ford.

Officers  - including forensics specialists - are guarding three tents and a marquee in land off Falkland Road in Chandler's Ford.

Officers have been at the scene for over 18 hours and have not given details other than saying they were responding to reports of a fire.

However they later admitted the arrests were linked to the work at the woodland and field off Falkland Road.

Tape has been placed around the site and people are being told to keep back.

Neighbours say police were called to the site soon after 4.30pm yesterday.

The green and blue coloured tents, plus a blue and black tent are pitched next to a blue marquee with three turquoise camping chairs and two shopping trolleys and supermarket-style loading racks.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire Constabulary said: "We were responding to a call from a member of the public who reported a fire being set."

It has been confirmed that three men and a 17-year-old girl have been arrested.

A 36-year-old man who lives nearby said: "I went out at 4.30pm and saw police at the entrance of the woods. It's very strange they are still there now.

"I didn't hear any sirens but sometimes you see the police pull up quickly here when there are kids hanging around in the park."

Philip Appleby, 37, said: "Normally it's quiet round here but it could be homeless people in the tents. There are quite a few shelters with tarpaulin in the woods."

A 43-year-old woman said: "I saw police at 6.30pm last night and wondered what was going on then I saw loads of them reversing in to the woods this morning."