Deliberate fire started at Gosport school which posed “significant risk” to area

A deliberate fire was started at a Gosport school which posed a “significant risk” to the nearby area, police have said.

A large log fire was extinguished at Bridgemary School after police officers on patrol alerted the fire service before the fire was quickly put out - preventing it spreading.

Police had been conducting patrols at known locations across Gosport currently affected by anti-social behaviour including graffiti, criminal damage and deliberate fires.

Gosport Police said in a Facebook post: “This incident could have been far more serious. The fire was located within an area of vegetation and wild ground which backs onto local residential properties, posing a significant risk to homes, wildlife, and the wider community.

“This area has unfortunately been targeted on numerous occasions recently. We will therefore be working closely with the school and reviewing CCTV footage from within the school grounds to identify those responsible.

“A reminder to anyone who thinks this behaviour is acceptable: it is not. Deliberately setting fires is a criminal offence and those responsible will be dealt with robustly.

“This area will continue to be regularly monitored and patrolled by local officers.”