An investigation has been launched after a fire metres away from a Northumberland football ground. The fire service were called to Ashington AFC's home ground on Woodhorn Lane on Wednesday night after a grass fire just outside.
Club secretary saw smoke
Club secretary Gavin Perry says he saw smoke at around 6.30pm and immediately called 999. He told ChronicleLive: "I was going out to my car and thought there was smoke, someone must be having a barbecue. But it was a fire on the grassy area out the back of the ground."
Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service has said that the cause of the incident is under investigation. The club believes it was started deliberately, and Gavin says a report has been made to Ashington's Neighbourhood Police Team.
Close call for floodlights and stands
In a post on Facebook, the club said: "The aftermath shows just how close this came to our floodlights and stands. We've been lucky on this occasion, but the consequences could have been far more serious and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage."
Mr Perry expanded, saying there would have to be safety tests on the floodlight columns. He added: "As a volunteer-led organisation, we don't like to see this happen in local communities, especially when you're trying to give back to that community."
Fire service response
A spokesperson for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said: "Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service was called to a fire near Ashington AFC, on Woodhorn Lane, at 6.39pm on Wednesday 13 August. One fire appliance attended the incident and crews worked to extinguish a grass fire covering an area of around 40 square metres."
The fire was brought under control, and firefighters left the scene at 7.31pm. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.
Northumberland Fire and Rescue firefighters make up part of National Wildfire teams, meaning they can be deployed throughout England and Wales during periods of heightened wildfire risk, which remains high following a spell of dry weather. Rural areas of Northumberland are considered to be "particularly vulnerable" to wildfires with Hexham ranked the seventh most at risk area in the country, according to data from the Moorland Association.
