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Nature reserve walkway 'severely damaged' in blaze

Ethan GudgeSouth of England
News imageDorchester Fire Station Firefighters in kit look on as smoke rises above ground scarred by the fire.Dorchester Fire Station
The fire service said the reserve's walkway had been "compromised"

A fire service has warned people to stay away from a nature reserve after a fire left its walkway "severely damaged and compromised".

Dorchester Fire Station said an on-call crew attended the blaze at the wetland area, next to the River Frome in the Dorset town, at about 02:55 BST.

Due to the site's distance from nearby roads, the station said about 787ft (240m) of hose reel was needed to extinguish the flames.

Dorchester Riverside Nature Reserve was created by the town council in 1974 and is an important habitat for wildlife, including fish, insects and birds.

The Natural England designated site is also home to willow, ash and poplar trees, and is managed by Friends of the Riverside Reserve.

The Dorchester fire crew was assisted in tackling the blaze on Sunday by a heavy off-road appliance from nearby Bridport Fire Station and a light 4x4 pump vehicle from Bere Regis.

The BBC has contacted Dorchester Town Council, Friends of the Riverside Reserve and Natural England for comment.

News imageDorchester Fire Station A firefighter in kit looks on as a fire rages in the nature reserve during the early hours of the morning.Dorchester Fire Station
Firefighters tackled the blaze at Dorchester Riverside Nature Reserve in the early hours of Sunday
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