ABOUT £20,000 worth of hay has been burned in an arson attack near Wantage.

Police are investigating whether Tuesday’s 4am stack fire in Copperage Road, Farnborough, which destroyed 200 tonnes of hay worth £100 a tonne, is linked to two arson attacks in Newbury and one in Hungerford also this month.

Investigating officer Det Con Bethany French, from Newbury CID, said: “We are making enquiries to establish the circumstances around all of these incidents.

“We are looking at all possible lines of enquiry and it is too early to say for certain if these fires are linked, but what is clear is that the arsons are all similar.

“I would urge residents in rural communities to be vigilant, to watch out for suspicious vehicles or people, and to report anything unusual to us via the 101 enquiry line.

“I would also advise farmers to stack hay in smaller piles if possible, to avoid a fire spreading to a large pile of hay.”

 

 

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