A PARK in Little Lever has been targeted by suspected arsonists three nights in a row.

Firefighters were called to the park in Ladyshore Road on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night this week.

On each occasion they dealt with a minor blaze that they suspect was started deliberately.

The latest incident on October 8 saw a wheelie bin set on fire and pushed between two portable buildings used as changing rooms by football teams.

Fire crews dealt with the blaze at 9pm, which caused heat damage and smoke logging to the changing facilities. No one was hurt. That incident followed a similar pattern to the previous two evenings.

On October 6, fire crews attended the park at 9.04pm after a wheelie bin had been set on fire in a children’s playground.

The following night they were forced to return at 7.54pm to another small fire at the park. Neither blaze caused serious damage and no one was injured.

Crew manager Dave Morris said: “Three nights running, on the 6th, 7th and now the 8th, we have turned out here. These people are trying to damage community assets.

“Football teams play on this park and we are constantly hearing of young people complaining that they have nothing to do.”

He added that the fire service intends to talk to the police about the spate of fires, which he thinks are linked.

Cllr Anthony Connell, for Little Lever and Darcy Lever, said: “I will be speaking with our neighbourhood PCSOs about this and hopefully they will be able to catch these people.

“They should be aware that people will be keeping an eye out for it on the park. This is a serious offence and the fire services should not being called to the same place every night like this.”