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| Worcestershire farmer says arson left his family too scared to leave farm | Worcestershire farmer says arson left his family too scared to leave farm |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The fire at Egghill farm near Birmingham | The fire at Egghill farm near Birmingham |
| A farmer says his family is now scared to leave their home unattended after a fire, which police are treating as arson, caused £160,000 of damage. | |
| The blaze at Egghill Farm, near Frankley, Worcestershire, in August 2024 destroyed two barns, two trailers and hundreds of bales of hay. | |
| Rob Charles says his family are now so nervous that it will happen again, that they have not been on holiday together since. | |
| "We were insured for the physical costs, but it's the emotional impact that stays with you," he said. | "We were insured for the physical costs, but it's the emotional impact that stays with you," he said. |
| Rob Charles says he's worried about more fires at the farm | Rob Charles says he's worried about more fires at the farm |
| Firefighters spent more than 36 hours tackling the fire and West Mercia Police has charged a man with two counts of arson. | |
| "We're just thankful that the cattle and sheep were out in the fields grazing so they weren't harmed," said farmer Rob Charles. | "We're just thankful that the cattle and sheep were out in the fields grazing so they weren't harmed," said farmer Rob Charles. |
| "We've got CCTV and alarms, but we're scared to leave the farm in case it happens again. | |
| "My youngest son was terrified and didn't want to go to bed for a week afterwards. | |
| "He was scared that the man might come back and set fire to the house." | "He was scared that the man might come back and set fire to the house." |
| "It's not just a place of work, the farm is also our home, and we've not been away together as a family since it happened." | "It's not just a place of work, the farm is also our home, and we've not been away together as a family since it happened." |
| Wenlock Edge Farm Shop was completely destroyed by fire in May 2025 | Wenlock Edge Farm Shop was completely destroyed by fire in May 2025 |
| The number of agricultural fires in the UK is reducing but the financial costs have risen by more than a third. | The number of agricultural fires in the UK is reducing but the financial costs have risen by more than a third. |
| In 2023/24, according to figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, there were 409 fires on farms – 87 of which were started deliberately. | |
| There were also 4,419 outdoor fires, 40% of which were caused by arson. | There were also 4,419 outdoor fires, 40% of which were caused by arson. |
| Insurers NFU Mutual say the cost of farm fires increased by 37% to an estimated £110m pounds in 2023. | |
| Farm vehicle fires, which are recorded separately, have cost an additional £74m in the last two years. | |
| Farmers have told the BBC that while buildings and machinery can be replaced the emotional impact can't be measured. | |
| Peter and Alison Themans spent 20 years building up their Wenlock Edge Farm Shop business in Much Wenlock but the buildings were destroyed in just a few hours, leaving only their home next door. | Peter and Alison Themans spent 20 years building up their Wenlock Edge Farm Shop business in Much Wenlock but the buildings were destroyed in just a few hours, leaving only their home next door. |
| On 26 May, a fire caused by an electrical fault tore through the shop, butchery and charcuterie. | |
| Peter and Alison hope to be open in time for Christmas | Peter and Alison hope to be open in time for Christmas |
| When Peter opened the front door after hearing banging, he was met with a thick wall of smoke. | When Peter opened the front door after hearing banging, he was met with a thick wall of smoke. |
| "I opened the door and I couldn't work out what was happening," he said. | |
| From his reaction, Alison said she was worried that he was having a heart attack. | From his reaction, Alison said she was worried that he was having a heart attack. |
| "We went to bed the night after the fire and I couldn't stop thinking about the scale of work ahead of us," she said. | "We went to bed the night after the fire and I couldn't stop thinking about the scale of work ahead of us," she said. |
| "I asked Peter if he was certain he wanted to start again, but we both felt we were not ready to retire." | "I asked Peter if he was certain he wanted to start again, but we both felt we were not ready to retire." |
| Rebuilding the farm shop is due to start soon, and the couple hope to be supplying customers in time for Christmas. | |
| "We've been overwhelmed by the kindness shown by our friends, neighbours and customers," said Peter. | "We've been overwhelmed by the kindness shown by our friends, neighbours and customers," said Peter. |
| "We could have said that's it, but we didn't want to finish the business in such a sad way, we're determined to start again." | "We could have said that's it, but we didn't want to finish the business in such a sad way, we're determined to start again." |
| The barn at Hartington Hills campsite was destroyed by fire in 2024 | The barn at Hartington Hills campsite was destroyed by fire in 2024 |
| In June 2024, almost 200 people had to be evacuated from the caravan site at Hartington Hills Farm in Staffordshire in the Peak District. | |
| A barn, holiday cottage and biomass boiler were destroyed in the blaze which was caused by an electrical fault. | A barn, holiday cottage and biomass boiler were destroyed in the blaze which was caused by an electrical fault. |
| It has cost more than £500,000 to rebuild the park, which is owned by mother and daughter Susan Green and Amy Dillon. | |
| "We feel lucky that nobody was killed," said Susan, who had to move into temporary accommodation for five months. | "We feel lucky that nobody was killed," said Susan, who had to move into temporary accommodation for five months. |
| "A couple in their 80s were staying in the cottage and, if a camper hadn't raised the alarm, they could have been lost. | "A couple in their 80s were staying in the cottage and, if a camper hadn't raised the alarm, they could have been lost. |
| "I just ran out in my nightie, my bedroom was next door to the fire, so I could have died too." | "I just ran out in my nightie, my bedroom was next door to the fire, so I could have died too." |
| Susan Green and Amy Dillon reopened the campsite in May | |
| "'It hurts your heart' | |
| Susan lost many personal possessions in the fire, and says she's still recovering emotionally. | Susan lost many personal possessions in the fire, and says she's still recovering emotionally. |
| "I've still got that grief there and it's not been let go of yet." | "I've still got that grief there and it's not been let go of yet." |
| The electricity, water and heating supplies were destroyed and the site was closed for 10 months. | |
| "It's been traumatic but we chose to make it into an opportunity and invested some of our money to upgrade the site," said Amy. | "It's been traumatic but we chose to make it into an opportunity and invested some of our money to upgrade the site," said Amy. |
| "It put us under a lot of pressure, we were keen to get on with it," Susan added. | |
| "We're not the sort of people who cry into their soup, you've just got to crack on." |
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