Police appeal following Sandridge farm fire

AN ARSON attack was responsible for destroying more than 70 bales of straw at a local farm over the weekend.

AN ARSON attack was responsible for destroying more than 70 bales of straw at a local farm over the weekend.

Firefighters were called to the scene at Pound Farm in Sandridge High Street at around 3pm on Saturday and found the huge stack of straw engulfed in flames on their arrival.

The crews, including both pumps from St Albans and one from Wheathampstead, let the fire burn itself out but damped down the surrounding fields to ensure that the flames didn’t spread. They left the scene at around 4pm but revisited the farm throughout the evening to check that the fire had not re-ignited.

Police are now appealing for information and witnesses following the blaze, which is believed to have been started deliberately between 2.30pm and 3pm.

It’s not the first time that Pound Farm has been targeted by arsonists – back in 2007 a barn containing 200 bales of hay went up in flames leaving 14 horses in the adjoining stables having to be rescued.

There has also been a number of other haystack fires locally, including one in a field off Harper Lane near Shenley last weekend and another at Wild Farm in Radlett at the end of June.

Anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour around the time of the blaze in Sandridge is asked to contact police as soon as possible via the non-emergency number 0845 33 00 222 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.