Police believe the same offenders carried out all three fire attacks on farms near Harborough

Police believe that the same offenders have carried out three fire attacks on farms near Market Harborough.

Officers are stepping up the hunt for the arsonists who set fire to thousands of bales of straw in barns amid fears they could strike again at any time.

Police are also urging farmers to be extra-vigilant after the string of attacks have stunned the farming community in and around Market Harborough.

The culprits struck again on Sunday September 27 at Little Oxendon Farm, near Market Harborough, and a farm at Hannington, off the A43.

The twin attacks came after a catastrophic blaze destroyed over 500 tonnes of straw at Home Farm on Valley Road, Weston by Welland, on Wednesday September 16.

Farmer Chris Parker, 61, blasted the criminals responsible after the fire tore through hundreds of precious bales of straw in the late-night drama.

A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: “We are linking all three attacks.

“It is very worrying because we obviously do not know when and where the offenders strike next.”

She added: “We are doing all we can to catch the people who have done this.

“We are appealing to anyone who knows anything about these attacks to contact police urgently by calling us on 101.

“At the moment primacy for this lies with our rural crime team officers.

“We would encourage the rural community to be extremely vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to us around areas where stacks are left out.”

Arsonists also destroyed over 1,000 bales of straw on Patricia Walker’s Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton, on Sunday September 13.

“We are currently keeping an open mind on whether the same culprits are also to blame for that fire in West Langton,” said the police spokeswoman.

Cllr Phil King, the leader of Harborough council, has slammed the mini-wave of farm arsons.

“This is the third attack on farms and barns in the Harborough district or nearby to the Harborough district,” said Phil.

“I urge anyone who knows anything about these attacks to contact the police so that action can be taken to stop any further attacks taking place before somebody is seriously injured or worse.”