Crackdown on park fires
PARK rangers in Ormskirk have stepped up patrols to combat a spate of fires in Coronation Park.
West Lancashire Borough Council, along with Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service (LFRS), is taking action after eight fires were deliberately started in the park in the space of a year.
In the latest incident, the swing in the play area was set on fire, while trees, scrub, grass cuttings and litter have all been targeted in the past.
Five of the fires were in August last year and fire chiefs say there is a link to school holidays.
They are now warning those responsible that increased ranger patrols will take place during the dry, warm weather.
As well as liaising with the council’s head ranger, Ormskirk’s fire crew manager, Graeme Spencer, is contact schools to get a message to their students about the impact on LFRS resources, on the environment and public safety and the potential risk to perpetrators themselves. A council spokesperson said: “The council has CCTV cameras covering the park which have captured good images of the latest incident and the police are using these images to progress with their enquiries.
“The council’s parks and countryside rangers are working with the fire service and colleagues in the council’s CCTV suite and will have a more visible presence in the park.
“Potential vandals should be warned that if they are caught they could face prosecution.”