Firefighters alerted after arsonists set fire to digger in village field

Firefighters from the Eastern Station were called out to the incident, on Hedben Drive in Barkby Thorpe, at 5.50pm.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was started deliberately and ‘severe fire damage’ was caused to the machine.

A spokesperson said: “Our intial report was that a tractor was on fire in a field but the crew established it was a digger from a nearby construction company.

“It was well alight and a hose reel was used to extinguish the fire.”