Quick-thinking family help prevent park fire spreading

An Ashford family sprang into action when they saw a fire start in park woodland.

Matt Lacey, his wife, Kathleen, and son, Joey, seven, were out magnet fishing in the stream that runs through Ashford’s Victoria Park when they smelt smoke and heard crackling sounds.

When they went to investigate, they discovered a section of grass in a wooded area near the stream was on fire.

So after calling Kent Fire & Rescue Service, Matt, from Singleton, emptied a holdall bag he was carrying and went to the stream to fill it with water to douse the fire.

He did this repeatedly until firefighters from Ashford arrived to take over.

Mr Lacey said: “It seems likely that a group of kids mucking about in the area may have started it.

“We managed to pretty well put it out before the fire crew arrived.

“I emptied my holdall type bag, and used it as a carrier to bring water from the stream to pour on the fire.”

Firemen at the scene of the fire in Victoria Park