JOHN MILLWOOD was arrested by police just minutes after acting as an amateur fireman.Millwood, of Hintle Close, Ipswich, was caught carrying a lock-knife knuckle-duster after he helped put out a small blaze in Berners Street.

JOHN MILLWOOD was arrested by police just minutes after acting as an amateur fireman.

Millwood, of Hintle Close, Ipswich, was caught carrying a lock-knife knuckle-duster after he helped put out a small blaze in Berners Street.

The 40-year-old arrested after a member of the public complained he was banging on doors with a knuckle-duster.

Jobless Millwood admitted possessing the weapon found in Berners Street on bank holiday Monday.

He thought it might have been connected to a street stabbing a day earlier, South East Suffolk Magistrates were told.

In police interview Millwood said he found the object, examined it before walking off with it.

"I don't know why he didn't just leave it at the scene," said prosecutor Gareth Davies. "Fascination perhaps?"

Nikki Miller, mitigating, said at 7 am on Monday Millwood went to visit a friend in Berners Street flats, behind a parade of shops.

"He knew there was a major incident the night before," she said. "He was in the courtyard area by the flats when he saw something glinting in the grass."

"He wasn't sure what to do with it and wondered whether it was in connection with the night before.

"He picked it up more out of stupidity than anything else. He should have left it where it was or taken it into the police station."

Millwood had arrived at flats when his attention was drawn to a fire. "He intervened and put the blaze out," said Mrs Miller.

The fire service and police arrived and Millwood was searched. The court heard he did not accept that he was banging on doorways with the knuckle-duster.

Bench chairman Martin Smith fined him £100 and ordered a forfeiture and destruction of the knife.

A Suffolk Fire Service spokesman confirmed they attended a blaze at the flats just before 7 am, which was thought to have been caused by lit paper through a letterbox.

Meanwhile police have reissued their appeal for witnesses after two men were stabbed during a knife fight in the town centre.

Both men are still being treated in Ipswich Hospital following the incident in Berners Street at 5.40 pm on Sunday, near Blockbuster video store.

The incident was thought to have happened following an argument concerning a pregnant woman.