Firefighters were called in to action last night after a blaze was started at a children's play park in Lee-On-The-Solent. 

A crew from Gosport responded to several reports of a fire at Alver Valley Country Park, in Lee-On-The-Solent, just after 5.30pm yesterday evening, May 21.

The fire involved a slide being torched in the children’s play park and Hampshire Fire and Recue Service said it believes the fire has been caused deliberately.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the arson and worked with partners to secure the site.

The service stop message was just after 6.30pm.

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A spokesperson for Hampshire Fire said: "Unfortunately, this is not the first time the children’s play park and surrounding woodland has been targeted by arson.

"The incident images clearly show the damage deliberate fires are having on the play park and woodland area’s damage to nature and wildlife.

"If you have any information please call Hampshire Constabulary on 101. Thank you to the number of people who did contact our control so quickly.

"If you are worried about a young person who has set a fire or who shows an unhealthy interest in fire, our FireWise Education programme can help."

Many residents have taken to social media to express their sadness, stating that it was one of the locations they would be visiting over the summer. 

Hampshire police's Inspector Warne added: "We deployed our response teams to a fire yesterday at the play park in Alver Valley Country Park.

"We are treating this as arson and we are investigating the crime.

"There has been lots of conversation on social media and with media outlets and it is clear the act of a few has, and will, clearly effect a lot of you as we approach the half term where you will have been using that space with your children.

"The community sentiment is not lost on me and we have reacted to the reports. The investigation continues today and I ask for anybody with information around this crime to come forward and share what they know.

"There is already information that may help us identify the offenders and so I would also urge those people responsible to come forward before we come knocking on your door."