A 16-year-old boy has been given a warning by police, after a student at Esher College was set alight during a “prank”.

The 17-year-old's hair was set on fire inside the college’s coffee bar at about 12.30pm on Tuesday, February 2, by two teenagers who approached him from behind.

The fire was quickly extinguished and the victim, who is from Twickenham, was taken to Teddington Memorial Hospital to receive treatment for minor burns to his head and hands.

It has not been confirmed whether those who set fire to his hair were also pupils at the college, but one source said the incident was “a prank that went wrong”.

The college, in Weston Green Road, Thames Ditton, refused to comment at the time but it is believed principal Keith Blackwell summoned to his office a number of students who witnessed the incident.

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: “A 16-year-old boy attended Staines police station on Friday, March 5, and received a final warning from the officer investigating this case.”

He said the investigation was now closed.

Nobody from the college was available for comment.