Police investigating spate of deliberate fires

FIRE crews were called to two small fires in Melksham last week, which are suspected to have been deliberately lit.

On Thursday 5th September, a fire was lit at Primrose Drive nature area and another at the play area at Blueberry Road. Police enquiries into the incidents are ongoing, but no arrests have been made.

A spokesperson for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said, “Firefighters from Trowbridge were sent to two small fires in Melksham yesterday (Thursday 5th September): At 5.32pm they were called to Primrose Drive to reports of a fire in a bush. Approximately five square metres of bush was well alight and crews used buckets of water and beaters to extinguish it. The stop message was received at 5.58pm.

“At 5.36pm a further crew was called to Blueberry Road in Melksham to reports of a fire in a play park. This was out on arrival and firefighters requested the attendance of police to investigate the cause of these incidents. The stop message was received at 6.33pm.”

Wiltshire Police added, “We are investigating, however no arrests have been made at this stage. We would ask that anyone with information comes forward and calls 101 quoting reference 54190088022.”

Concerned residents shared news of the fires online, alongside photos of the suspected culprits – who Adrienne Westbrook, town councillor and chair of the Melksham Food and River Festival, believes are responsible for anti-social behaviour in the King George V playing field in the days prior to the festival and over the weekend.

According to cllr Westbrook, a group of 10-12 teenagers aged around 13 to 14, were responsible for four fires in the park, and also took a boat moored on the River Avon for the festival out for a ride.

Speaking at last week’s full town council meeting on Monday 2nd September, cllr Westbrook said, “I had to up security at the weekend to include security with a dog because of the anti-social behaviour in the park. I have identified several of the young people involved, as I taught them when I was younger. They got into the river, got the boats out – it was incredibly dangerous what they were doing; if the boat had gotten any closer to the weir, they would be dead.

“I would hope that as I have positively identified some of the young people involved, that the police have questioned them and are investigating.”

Melksham News asked Wiltshire Police about the incidents in King George V playing field and a possible connection to the fires in Primrose Drive nature area and the Blueberry Road play area, but a response was not received before going to print.