A teenage boy was arrested on suspicion of arson following four grass fires at Friday Woods in Colchester, which were found to be deliberate.
The 13-year-old, from Colchester, was arrested on Tuesday, July 7 – the day that the fires took place – and has since been released without charge.
Crews were called to the fires at around 9.30am on Tuesday morning, with shocking photos emerging on social media of plumes of smoke and huge flames at the popular dog walking spot.
MORE: Crews tackle four deliberate grass fires at nature reserveFirefighters managed to extinguish the fires by 11.10am, after finding four separate patches of grass alight, all of which were in close proximity.
A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service recorded the fires as being deliberate.
Police attended the incident and arrested a juvenile.
A spokesman for the force, said: “A 13-year old boy was arrested and after speaking with him he was released without charge.”
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