Nature reserve plagued by fires and fly-tipping

A rise in deliberate fires and fly-tipping at a nature reserve gives the impression "no-one really cares about the area", a parish councillor has said.

Hazlerigg Parish Council chair Rachel Locke said she had been verbally abused by children she caught lighting a fire under a tree at Havannah Nature Reserve in Newcastle.

She said she had to call the emergency services over other fires, which not only cost the taxpayer "thousands of pounds" but damaged "already struggling" wildlife.

Newcastle City Council, which looks after the site, said it was aware of the increase in fires and was working with the fire service to prevent them.

Locke said the fire service had to be called to two fires in the past few weeks, with one so big "ash was falling in the streets".

"It's shameful, all this type of thing contributes to the area looking a mess, and that gives people the impression no-one really cares about the area and they can treat it how they want - it's devastating."

Locke said she and another parish councillor had caught a group of children burning chairs which had been fly-tipped.

"They'd been hacking branches off trees and cutting back vegetation, cable-tying and taping bits together, then having the fire directly underneath the trees," she said.

"They were quite aggressive," she said, adding it was reported to the police.

A couple of days later two fire engines were sent to the nature reserve's "biggest blaze" in which a set of abandoned camping equipment was set on fire.

"These call-outs are costing thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money, but not only are they damaging the trees and vegetation, it's a nature reserve and it supports wildlife which is already struggling in the dry weather," Locke said.

The city council said it carried out regular maintenance visits to the reserve, but Locke said calls for increased presence had fallen on "deaf ears".

The local authority responded: "While the council does not have a dedicated ranger assigned solely to the reserves, the site does benefit from regular ranger presence on a part-time basis, alongside a regular volunteer conservation session."

Locke praised the fire service, but said the "completely under-resourced" Northumbria Police "don't seem to be taking it seriously".

The force has been contacted for comment.

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