Blackpool Illuminations damaged in depot arson attack

The depot stored the moulds for the Illuminations' displays

Moulds used to recreate popular figures for Blackpool Illuminations have been damaged in an arson attack at a storage depot.

Blackpool Council's Illuminations Manager Richard Ryan branded those responsible for the fire as reckless.

The main illuminations are stored at a new site but the Rigby Road depot, the scene of Monday's fire, stores the moulds for the glass fibre displays.

Among the moulds stored at the site was one for Postman Pat.

Mr Ryan said: "It's extremely disappointing that the reckless actions of a few people have damaged illuminations that millions of people have enjoyed seeing over the years."

He said the fire followed one on Sunday night when an illuminated ice cream van was destroyed.

Mr Ryan added: "We were in the process of increasing the security on the site when this second fire happened.

"The majority of our displays are stored at our Lightworks depot at Squires Gate but there were a number, including Postman Pat, that were housed at Rigby Road.

"We have moulds of all our illuminations to enable us to recreate them if the originals are damaged and we don't now know what state these moulds are in."

Lancashire Police said it wanted to hear from a man who was close to the scene walking his dog, another man who was riding a bike and also a man who was walking in the area.

The force said none were suspects.