'Nuisance' yobs give Portsmouth firefighters the run around after setting alight to playing fields
‘NUISANCE’ yobs have been giving firefighters the run around after repeatedly setting alight to grass on playing fields in Hilsea.
Firefighters from Cosham were scrambled three times to the playing fields opposite Blue Lagoon off Hilsea Crescent on Monday and Tuesday.
A group of youths, thought to be in their early teenage years, have been setting fire to patches of grassland – and wasting fire crews’ time.
The fires are centralised around a patch (pictured) covering about a metre square area before fighters have put them out.
Two blazes took place on Monday at 5.50pm and 6.20pm and another at 8.20pm on Tuesday.
A Cosham firefighter said: ‘Kids are setting alight to the grass which is more of a nuisance than anything, though it is a danger to people and animals.
‘It is using up valuable resources of our appliances which could be better used elsewhere.
‘The kids are on site and ran around the space when we get there. No paraphernalia has been left.’