Arsonists cause £70k worth of damage at farm

The aftermath of the arson attack at Dunham Massey Credit: Greater Manchester Police

Police are hunting arsonists who caused £70,000 worth of damage and ruined a farmer’s stock, after they set fire to a barn in Dunham Massey.

The incident happened on Tuesday 30 April 2013, sometime between 1.00am and 2.30am at the farm on Birch Road.

The farm owners were woken by the sound of their dog barking and saw that the barn, only a few yards away from the house, was in flames.

A large stock of 350 Heston bales of straw had been set alight inside the barn, causing a huge fire that could be seen from several miles away.

The family frantically tried to save as much machinery from the barn as they could before the fire service arrived. It took five fire pumps and specialist equipment to deal with the fire, which was alight for a substantial period of time.

It is believed the person/people responsible had made their way to the barn via a field at the back of the building.

Detective Constable Paul Walls from Altrincham Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We believe this was a mindless act of vandalism, but this reckless act is one that has devastated an entire family, whose livelihood has literally just gone up in smoke.

“Not only has the physical damage to buildings and machinery been estimated to be in the region of £70,000, but there is also further machinery that has suffered heat damage and the farmer has lost all his stock, which was ready for sale.

The majority of the barn will have to be rebuilt.

“It is also extremely lucky there were not far more tragic consequences as a result of this fire, which could easily have spread to the house right next to it where the family were sleeping.

Thankfully though, no-one was injured.

“We are determined to provide justice for this family and I am appealing for anyone at all who knows who has committed this crime, or who has any information that may assist with our investigation, to contact police as soon as possible.

” Anyone with information is asked to contact police at Altrincham Neighbourhood Policing Team on 0161 856 7530 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.