Fire at racecourse stables

Warwick Racecourse staff at their stables next to St Mary’s Car Park Number Two in Hampton Road were having a small fire to burn off some waste at the rear of the property when it got too big for them to manage.

The wind soon picked up and blew sparks to a nearby skip and the contents quickly went up in flames, as the fire also spread to a large nearby pile of rubbish and green waste which was covered with a rubber tarpaulin.

One nearby resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The fire was nearly as high as the trees, you’re talking 30 feet.

“I just looked out my window and thought good god and phoned it in. I had a wonderful view of it.”

Watch manager Tony Kent from Warwick Fire Station said: “It was a small fire that got out of hand.

“The wind caught it and took it over to the skip.

“We have now given strong advice to the owners that they clear all this mess.

“It is a good message to other premises and business to take a look and see if what they have out back could be a fire hazard.”

Three fire engines attended the scene and used hose jets to tackle the blaze.

Nobody is believed to have been hurt in the fire, and no horses were harmed either.

Picture by Julian Lloyd