Three Sutton Park fires deliberate, say fire crews

Crews were sent to deal with three fires in the park on Saturday

Three fires in one day at a park in the West Midlands were all started deliberately, fire investigators say.

Up to 50 firefighters dealt with the blazes near the Banners Gate entrance of Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, after first being sent there at about 14:30 BST on Saturday.

Crews were sent to tackle six fires - including Saturday's incidents - in the last week, the fire service said.

Operations commander Jason Holt said the number of incidents was a concern.

Twenty one firefighters extinguished a fire on gorse, heathland and grassland near the Toby Carvery on Chester Road on Sunday

About a dozen firefighters were called to heathland close to Longmore Pool on 26 June.

Then 15 firefighters were sent to put out an area of grass and scrubland which caught fire, close to the Banners Gate area of the park, three days later.

After Saturday's fire, more than 20 firefighters were called back on Sunday to tackle another on gorse and heathland near the Toby Carvery on Chester Road.

Operations commander Jason Holt said the number of incidents in the park was a concern

Mr Holt said as well as the demand on resources, the fires also put crews, members of the public and wildlife at risk.

They put "unnecessary demand" on the service and could be "potentially diverting our crews from unavoidable emergencies", he added.