Councillor scares off man lighting fire under trees in Ludlow
A man who started a fire on public land was scared off by a councillor, who is now asking if anyone knew who it was and why they were doing it.
Firefighters were called to put out the blaze, which Councillor Andy Boddington says had been deliberately started beneath trees at Gallows Bank, Ludlow.
Councilor Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow North, was out walking his dog when he discovered the unknown man building and setting light to the bonfire , but the man ran away when challenged, he said.
Councillor Boddington said he discovered the fire as he cut across Gallows Bank, an area of parkland surrounded by houses on the eastern side of Ludlow, at about 6.30pm on Wednesday.
He said: "It was meant to be a quiet and fairly quick walk with Mel the Collie. I didn't expect to meet someone trying to set the bank on fire – in the rain.
"As we got near to Charlton Rise, Mel kept pulling back.
There was a flicker of light towards Sandpits but no more. Still Mel pulled and the light got bigger. What first looked like a torch soon looked like flames.
"Gallows Bank is in two halves. The east part is an open meadow, to the west is bushy scrubland. Between is a wide hedge.
"In this hedge, a man was building a bonfire. I could see him bringing branches to fuel the fire. The flames were two metres high by the time we reached the scene.
"I challenged him but he fled into the scrubland."
