Man bailed after night of car fires

By fweelen

A man was arrested and later bailed after two cars were set alight in Longbridge, on the Hillmead estate in Shepton Mallet on Friday night.

The incidents follow a spate of fires on the estate and prompted calls from residents for CCTV cameras to catch the culprits.

Shepton firemen and police were called out just after 11pm on Friday to a car on fire at Longbridge.

They were called out again at 1am on Saturday but when they arrived the fire was out and police had arrested a suspect.

Police believe both fires were deliberately started.

Insp Ray Hulin said: "There have been a number of fires on the Hillmead estate recently which we suspect were deliberate acts. We are working closely with the fire service and others to prevent this type of offence.

"Additional patrols have been stepped up in recent weeks. We now have a man who is helping us with our inquires."

Shepton Mallet town councillor Bente Height used to live at Hillmead and raised the issues of fires on the estate many times in the past at Partners and Communities Together meetings.

She said she was relieved to hear police were questioning someone.

"Hopefully that will put an end to it happening again. I am so worried that someone might get hurt or even die.

"We had terrible problems down there over a year ago – on one occasion there were three fires on one night.

"People pressed then to have CCTV installed and the bin areas locked but nothing happened."

A spokesman for Mendip Housing said: "We are looking at the bin stores and how we can secure them.

"But we need to be careful how we spend money for the long term.

"We have to look at the various options and also that it would not be wise to spend money on them if the stores might be removed at a future date.

"And if they are locked at night, is it going to encourage people to dump their rubbish outside the communal bin store areas – and cause even worse problems?"

Mendip District Council says it is still waiting for a formal request from the police for the installation of CCTV cameras on the estate.