A fire at a stables claimed the lives of five horses.
At 3.56am on Saturday, four fire engines were called to Rookery Farm, Rainford where they found a large farm building engulfed in flames. After the fire was put out almost two hours later, the remains of five horses were found in the wreckage.
Police reported that the fire may have been caused deliberately. Ian Duke, who rents the stables, also said that a burn in the shape of a smiley face was found on a bag of sawdust in an adjacent building, which he believes was left by an arsonist.
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A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “At around 4.30am on Saturday, 19 March officers were called to a report of a fire in Rainford, St Helens. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service attended and extinguished the fire at a barn on Rookery Farm.
“No one was injured but five horses were sadly found deceased in the barn. Further reports and examinations have established that the fire may have been caused deliberately at present.
“A joint investigation between Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and Merseyside Police is ongoing and anyone with any information is asked to contact police.”
Mr Duke, who rents the stables with his wife Kim, told the ECHO: “The fire brigade attended and were at the scene when we arrived. Unfortunately, none of the horses could be saved.
“We have another barn where we store wood shavings, and one of the white bags that the shavings come in has a big hole burned into it and the one next to it’s got a big smiley face in it, so they’ve left a message. They were riding ponies and a couple of Shetland ponies, the ladies who owned them are absolutely devastated.
"There’s a further nine horses that are going to have to be re-homed because they’re going to shut the stables down as the building’s not safe. I think the stable will be shut down permanently. I don’t know the exact costs involved but it’ll cost a substantial amount of money to replace.”
Mr Duke later said that the nine surviving horses have been offered accommodation at another farm.
Police ask witnesses or anyone with any information to contact them on their Twitter account at @MerPolcc or on Facebook at ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ with reference to 175 of Saturday 19 March. You can also contact the independent charity Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.
