'Boozy' children blamed for blaze on moors (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Firefighters tackle blaze on Farnhill Moor near Keighley

12:10am Friday 14th May 2010 in Farnhill By Will Kilner

Boozy children are thought to be responsible for lighting a fire that damaged a stretch of picturesque moorland.

Firefighters spent four hours battling a blaze on the moors in Farnhill, about half way between Keighley and Skipton.

The blaze, which spread across a square acre of moorland, broke out near the border between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said: “It’s believed to be local children on home study who had been drinking alcohol on the moor and we believe they’ve set some fires up there which had caused this moor fire.

“Of the appliances that went, there were half from West Yorkshire and half from North Yorkshire because it’s very close to the border.”

Firemen used two large jets, beaters and a large portable pump to fight back the flames.

The incident was attended by two fire engines from Skipton, two from Silsden, one from Keighley and a water bowser from Boroughbridge.

North Yorkshire Police are investigating the incident but are yet to make any arrests.

A police spokesman said they were aware that children had been camping in the area and that their presence would form one line of inquiry.

The spokesman said: “The incident has been reported to us and we are looking into it, although it’s early days at the moment.”

The flames took hold of an area near Farnhill Pinnacle at about 5.30pm on Wednesday.