An arsonist has attacked premises near Pucklechurch where three horses are kept.
The fire was started in the toilet block of a building used for storage and as a workshop at Pucklechurch Barn last Friday night. It destroyed the building and spread through the roof of the adjoining stables.
Gemma Carter. her mum Jane and friend Emily Brewer own horses Bracken, Tally and Molly and rent the premises at Westerleigh Road.
Gemma, from Staple Hill, said that whoever started the blaze had opened the stable doors. Tally and Molly had got out but the neighbour who raised the alarm had to get a terrified Bracken out of his stable.
A fundraising appeal has now been launched as they lost everything they had stored there, and are now looking to find new premises.
Emily has set up the appeal on the GoFundMe platform.
Emily with Bracken
She said: “Thankfully all three horses are safe and un-injured, the problem being we have lost everything in the fire as the barn is completely burnt down.
“This includes medication for all three horses which in total is worth thousands. Any help would be greatly appreciated, we are absolutely devastated and are going to try our best to replace everything we lost – rugs, feed, bedding, hay, tack, etc. – but as people will appreciate, it’s going to be a major project.
£550 has so far been raised of the £2,000 goal.
Gemma, Jane and Emily have thanked the fire service for their work that night including taking care of the chickens whose house is right next to the building that was destroyed.
Avon Fire & Rescue Service said: “We were called at 22:31 on 4th November to reports of a barn fire on Westerleigh Road, Pucklechurch.
“Fire engines from Kingswood, Yate and Hicks Gate attended the incident and found the fire affecting a building being used as a paddock and workshop.
“Crews used two 45mm jets and two high pressure hose reels to extinguish the fire, before using thermal imaging cameras to check for hotspots while damping down the area.
“The cause of the fire is thought to be deliberate ignition.”
Tally
The chickens were rescued by firefighters and returned to their house when the fire had been extinguished
