POLICE are treating a blaze that destroyed £12,000 worth of straw at a former race horse trainer’s farm as suspicious, it has been confirmed.
Officers have launched an investigation into the blaze at Howard Johnson’s farm near Crook, County Durham.
The blaze started at about 6pm on Monday (November 5) and firefighters were on the scene until 11.30am the following morning.
About 800 bales worth £12,000 were destroyed and Mr Johnson said the smoke came close to driving him out of his house at Billy Row.
A Durham Police spokeswoman said: “The scene of the blaze has been assessed by an investigator from the fire service and a police crime scene investigator.
“The police are treating the blaze as suspicious.
“It is believed there was a group of young people in the vicinity of the farm an hour or so before the fire was detected.”
Anyone with information should call Crook CID on the non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.
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