Youngsters deliberately start two grass fires while crews were already tackling blaze at Corby park

Firefighters were forced to put out three small but deliberately started fires at a Corby park yesterday (June 7).

The Corby crew was called to reports of a fire in the open near Harlech in Kingswood shortly after 7.30pm, and quickly extinguished a small grass fire.

While they were attending, the service – as well as some members of the public – witnessed a group of young people starting two further grass fires.

A spokesman for the fire service said: “We requested the attendance of Northamptonshire Police to ensure that the community were kept safe and used a hose reel jet to put the two other grass fires out.

"The fire crew left the scene shortly before 8.20pm, but the area continued to be monitored by PCSOs after we left.

"Deliberate fires not only put emergency service workers and members of the public in danger, but the most likely people to be harmed are the fire starters.”

These fires follow a series of arsons in Rushden.

The Northants Telegraph reported last week that there had been two more arson attacks just days after a warning following a spate of fires in the town.

Fire service figures show that crews responded to 17 deliberately started fires in Rushden during May.

Anybody with information about deliberately lit fires should contact FireStoppers.

Reporting through this channel is anonymous and is managed by the independent charity CrimeStoppers.

Call 0800 169 5558, or complete the online form at www.firestoppersreport.co.uk.

You can also contact Northamptonshire Police regarding this specific incident on 101, quoting incident number 548 of June 7.