Old John tower used as look out for grass fires

BRADGATE Park’s 18th century Old John Tower has been put back into use as a watching station for grass fires.

Members of the park’s 200-strong team of volunteers, armed with binoculars and a radio, have spent three weeks during the heatwave manning the top of the tower looking out for blazes in the park.

The folly on top of Old John Hill has commanding views of the 850-acre deer park and surrounding fields.

Bradgate Park Trust director Peter Tyldesley said it was hoped the volunteers, who have been on watch from 7am to 7pm daily, could help to avert fires such as the two that set parts of the park ablaze last summer.

He said: “Because the weather has been so dry there has been an increased risk of a fire so we put an e-mail out to our volunteers asking if they’d do some shifts on fire watch and the response was superb.

“The top of the tower is an excellent vantage point.

“Should there be a fire the hope is it will be spotted early and it can be stopped before it spreads.

“Mercifully, we have had a bit of wet weather recently which has reduced the risk so the volunteers have been stood down for the time being.

“But they will be back out if we get more very dry weather.

“The aim is to get through the season without any fires. Touch wood, we have managed it so far.”

Mr Tyldesley said the volunteers had also been keeping an eye out for fires on land neighbouring the park.

He said: “We ask people to be extra careful when they visit.

“Barbecues are banned but people still do it and one of the fires last year was caused by someone leaving a barbecue in a hollowed-out oak tree after they had finished with it. It wasn’t the brightest decision and we saw the consequences.

“We’d also ask people to be careful with their cigarettes when they are finished because they could ignite a blaze.”