Two Arun parks suffer deliberate damage

Firefighters were called to Hotham Park, Bognor Regis, as a result of bamboo being set alight on Tuesday.

James McFarland, from Arun Parks and Greenspaces said: “It is the time of the year for it, there are a lot more people out and about and there are more kids – I am fairly sure this was children.

“It is not a big deal but at the end of the day it required the fire service to attend.

“Burning bamboo is a control method you can use but I am not sure they were thinking of that,” he added. “If they were we should get them back, we could do with some more help at Hotham Park.”

A spokesman for West Sussex Fire Service confirmed it was called at 4.05pm to a ‘small fire in undergrowth’.

One hose reel was used and the stop message came through at 4.30pm. They added: “We believe it to be by deliberation ignition.”

Meanwhile hedgehog homes were turned ‘to a pile of wood’ in Mewbrook Park, Littlehampton, in an act Mr McFarland said he thought ‘might be more sinister’.

“The friends group have got the police involved because it was them who put the trees in,” he said. “Sadly we have come to expect that these things happen, hopefully they will recover.”