Four boys who set fire to a community allotment in St Helens have been forced to pay for the damage.
A blaze tore through Sexton Avenue Community Allotment Garden in Parr, St Helens on April 29 this year.
Paul Llewellyn, chairman of the allotment, described distressing scenes as he raced to the site to find a large fire.
READ MORE: Boy, 10, recoils in terror as police officer launches brutal assault
Mr Llewellyn was reduced to tears after he realised that the site that volunteers had worked so hard to develop had been torched.
Speaking to the ECHO in April he said that the blaze consumed 30 feet high conifer trees.
Mr Llewellyn had received a message on social media at around 4.30pm after a boy was seen jumping over a fence.
Police have now revealed that they identified four boys who were responsible for the fire.
The teenagers, aged between 13 and 15, have now paid for the damage, carried out repair work and attended an educational seminar with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
A police spokesman said to the ECHO : "We can confirm that four boys were subject of a community resolution following an arson at allotments in St Helens earlier this year.
"On Thursday 29 April, we received a report of arson at Sexton Avenue Community allotments in Parr, St Helens. It was reported that at around 5.15pm youths accessed the allotments via Inman Avenue and set a fire.
"The youths are then believed to have made off from the scene on foot. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service attended and extinguished the fire and no injuries were reported.
"Following extensive enquiries, four boys were identified, aged between 13 and 15. They agreed to pay for the damage, carry out repair work, and attend a Fire Safety Seminar with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS)."
St Helens Community Policing Chief Inspector Paul Holden said: “Starting fires deliberately is utterly irresponsible, putting our communities at risk and placing an unnecessary strain on our already overstretched emergency services.
Join our St Helens news, community and Facebook group here.
“Those responsible have taken this on board and it is pleasing to see such an outcome, which educates and puts in place practical steps to undo the damage and distress caused to those who love and care for these allotments.”
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) Group Manager Paul Kay: “Some people might think setting fires is a bit of harmless fun but this is arson – a serious criminal offence that puts people’s lives at risk and takes away valuable assets from the local community. What might seem like ‘a laugh’ with friends could lead to a criminal record and seriously impact on not just their future, but the futures of those around them.
“Fires like this cause a huge drain on fire service resources. If a fire engine is called out to a deliberate fire, this could delay our response to other potentially life-threatening incidents.
“We will continue to work alongside Merseyside Police and other partner agencies to investigate arson, identify those responsible and educate people about the very real consequences of deliberate fire setting.”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
