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.
