Washed up timber set ablaze

Nearly 50 firefighters were sent to Marine Parade, Worthing, West Sussex, after receiving several calls that a pile of timber up to 20m high was ablaze.

Crews arrived at the scene just after 2.30am to find the timber, measuring approximately 30m by 10m, well alight, a West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said.

The wood had washed ashore from the Greek-registered vessel Ice Prince after she sunk in rough weather off Portland Bill in Dorset on January 15.

The washed-up timber resulted in the closure of a number of beaches in Sussex, from Ferring in west of the county to Brighton in the east. Worthing was the worst affected.

Fire officials said there were concerns the fire could have spread to nearby wood piles and beach huts. However, crews were aided by an offshore breeze which reduced the threat of it spreading, the fire service spokeswoman added.

Crews used seven firefighting jets to douse the flames and were helped by a contractor using a mechanical digger to break up the wood pile.

The fire is being treated as arson. Incident commander Dave Howells appealed to anyone with information to contact Sussex Police said.

He condemned those responsible for the attack, as the fire meant crews from outside the area had to be drafted in to deal with a house blaze in Worthing.

Mr Howells said: "Although this might be seen as just a large bonfire on a beach, it has tied up our resources for several hours when they could have been needed elsewhere for a more life-threatening emergency."