Grandad, 70, left 'devastated' after suspected arson attack on his Sunderland allotment

An allotment on Pottery Lane caught fire on Friday 4 November 2022. Credit: Northumbria Police

A fresh appeal for information about a suspected allotment arson attack which left a grandad "devastated" has been launched.

Alan Walker, 70, kept 25 bantam hens in his allotment, all of which were killed in the blaze and he was forced to "clean up" shortly before his 70th birthday in November 2022.

Mr Walker's grandson Anth Bate told ITV Tyne Tees: "When he found the allotment he was devastated. He was more bothered about the chickens because whoever did it could have let them free first.

"It broke his heart clearing the chickens up. Ever since my nana, his wife, died eleven years ago, he got the allotment and it kept him company. It was his pride and joy."

The fire left Mr Walker with "nothing left" after years of work on his allotment. Credit: Anth Bate

Northumbria Police believe a generator worth approximately £250 was stolen during the incident on Friday 4 November 2022.

They released an image of the black and yellow Böhmer-AG K series generator on Monday 16 January 2023 in a bid to find it in the community.

Mr Bate told ITV Tyne Tees, that there was "nothing left" of the allotment after the fire and said he hopes "karma catches up with" anyone who may have been involved.

Since the fire, a Go Fund Me page raised over £1,500 to help restore Mr Walker's allotment.

Police have released a picture of the generator from its catalogue. Credit: Northumbria Police

Those in the community have also clubbed together to buy him a new generator with a full tank of petrol, and have been helping to get him some more hens.

Anyone with information regarding the incident can contact police by calling 101, quoting crime number: 134465D/22.

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