Fire at Allpay Park 'was arson'

A fire which badly damaged the main stand at Allpay Park, the home of Westfields Football Club, was started deliberately, according to Hereford Police.

Fire crews were called out to the allpay.net-sponsored ground on Widemarsh Common in the early hours of Sunday (March 25) when smoke was by a security patrol at the nearby Bulmers factory. It is believed that the fire was started some time between 4am and 6am.

Fire officers at the scene were unable to determine the cause of the blaze and police have launched an investigation.

House to house enquiries have been carried out in the local area and officers want to hear from anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the Widemarsh Common area or who has information about how the fire started.

The blaze means the club's attractive Herefordshire Senior Floodlit Cup tie against Hereford United is in doubt after floodlight cabling was damaged in the fire.

Westfields chief executive Andy Morris,"I was called to the ground at 6am on Sunday and was greeted with total devastation to the stand.

"All the 150 plastic seats are completely burnt, the metal flooring is completely melted and the cladding around the stand has completely gone. It was horrible.

"The stand was purpose built three years ago and I estimate it will cost £25,000 to replace. We are hopeful the game will still go ahead but it all depends on whether the underground cable operating the floodlights remains undamaged.

"The Herefordshire FA has been sympathetic and if it has to be postponed it has to be postponed. Whatever happens our first concern is the safety of the spectators."

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Hereford CID on 08457 444888 quoting incident number 168-s-250307.

Alternatively, information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Report by Jon Land.