A Merseyside man has been arrested following a devastating wildfire in the Lake District.
The fire that covered half a mile of land was started on Saturday, with firefighters tackling the blaze into the night on March 19. It has now been confirmed that a man from Southport has been arrested on suspicion of arson.
The fire spanned around 750m, roughly half a mile, between High Newton and Newby Bridge. A number of fire and rescue crews were called in, including wildfire teams to deal with the blaze.
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Cumbria Police confirmed the arrest and has also announced that the 31-year-old has been released under investigation. An appeal for information and witnesses has been made.
A green Ford Transit van has also been identified as a specific interest for police, with anyone who saw the van, specifically on the A590 eastbound just prior to Lindale Hill, to contact police. Any dashcam footage is asked to be sent in if people passed the area around 5.30pm.
A Cumbria Police spokesperson said: "A 31-year-old man from the Southport area was arrested on suspicion of arson. He was subsequently released yesterday afternoon under investigation. We’d encourage anyone with information about this incident which could assist officers to report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit quoting incident number 212 of 19th March 2022. You can also phone on 101.
"Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. We’re particularly interested in anyone who saw a green Ford Transit van in the area-specific location is A590 eastbound just prior to Lindale Hill. We’re particularly interested if anyone can check dashcam footage if they passed the area around 5.30pm."
Sedbergh Fire tweeted on Sunday morning following the fire: "Just before 6pm Sedbergh Wildfire team along with a number of crews, specialist teams and officers from across the county responded to an incident on Cartmel Fell. The A590 was closed for a period of time for safety concerns."
