Trees targeted as arsonists strike twice at Wicksteed Park over Bank Holiday weekend

The incidents took place over the bank holiday weekend
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The fire service has confirmed that two fires at Wicksteed Park over the Bank Holiday weekend are thought to have been started deliberately.

Crews had been called out to the popular beauty spot, on Sunday, May 2, to a fire in a wooded area close to the rear of the lake, near the pontoon and railway bridge.

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They were called back again when on Monday, May 3, there were further reports of another fire and spent more than four hours cooling down the fire using water from the lake.

Fire Service - file pictureFire Service - file picture
Fire Service - file picture

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews from Kettering and Burton Latimer were called to reports of a tree being on fire at Wicksteed Park at 8.16am on May 3.

"The two-metre tree and a 5m x 3m area of shrubbery were involved, with crews using two jets, a compact light pump, small gear and thermal imaging camera to both douse the flames and cool down the interior of the tree, as well as monitoring hotspots in the surrounding area.

"The appliances left the scene at 12.18pm and the initial cause of the fire is believed to be due to deliberate ignition.

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"This was the second day in a row that crews were called to reports of a tree fire at Wicksteed Park, as a similar incident was reported the day before (May 2), at 5.12pm.

"This fire, which was just three metres away from the incident the following day, was also believed to be due to a deliberate ignition."