Arsonists destroy bench in Midland blaze spate
Arsonists started two fires along a hedgerow and destroyed a park bench in a spate of blazes in the early hours of this morning.
Stourbridge and Brierley Hill fire crews were called to Grosvenor Way in Stourbridge at 4.25am.
They tackled two 32ft long stretches of conifer hedge which were found alight. The hedge was left blackened and a parked van was slightly damaged from the fires.
The fires came only an hour after arsonists set alight a plastic bench in Mary Stevens Park.
Brian Morris, watch commander at Stourbridge Fire Station, said: "We believe this to be the work of arsonists, we haven't seen something in this area for a while."
Andrew Wood, aged 61, of Grosvenor Way, was awoken by the fire enginers outside his home.
He said: "There has been significant damage to the conifers and one of the resident's vans was damaged.
"It could have been a lot worse, if anything the fire could have burned in the opposite direction - toward homes.
"I cannot condone anything like this, it takes firefighters and fire engineers away from more serious fires. I think it is disgusting."
