Firefighters tackle five open blazes believed to have been started 'deliberately' in Leigh Park

One crew from Havant Fire Station was on hand to extinguish the fires. Firefighter Simon French, of Havant Fire Station, told The News: ‘There were five fires and were scattered across Leigh Park.

‘They started between 6.30pm and 7pm and we responded to incidents until roughly 9pm. One crew was primarily used to deal with them all. I believe they were all deliberately started.

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‘They were all in the same vicinity, all either grass fires and bits of rubbish set on fire out in the open.’ The blazes took place in the vicinity of Well Meadow, Stockheath Way and near Barncroft Way.

Mr French said the crew were frustrated to be called to these fires as larger incidents could have happened while they were deployed. ‘The police did attend,’ he added. ‘Nothing spread quickly fortunately. They were small.’

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A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokeswoman said officers were at the scene of one of the fires in Well Meadow. She added: ‘We were called at 8.04pm (on Thursday 8 June) by our colleagues at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service to a report of a number of small fires that they had been called to the woodland at Well Meadow.

‘Officers attended and spoke to people who were in the area. The circumstances of the fires are currently under investigation.

‘No injuries have been reported. No arrests have been made at the current time.’ Anyone with information is advised to call 101, quoting 44230227589.