Arson or Accident?

Farmers Richard and Inger Mee of Oakley Grange Farm were woken by firemen at 5 am. Their straw bales were on fire. This was the winter bedding for their livestock. When I took this photo at 1540, it was a blackened, smouldering mess.

The immediate suspicion is of arson. The farm is only 500 m from the Shepshed-Hathern Road and the bales were distant from the living accommodation. There was a suggestion that the straw might have self-ignited, but it's far more likely that the cause was arson. The blaze was set alight between 3-5 am. This is unlikely to be the last attempt to cause harm. Firemen were successful in containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to other barns aided by there being no wind.

Fortunately, neither Inger nor Richard were injured and nor were the livestock, but there's no straw for animal bedding now this winter. 

Basil and I had just returned from a circuit of Charnwood Water when I took this. One lone Mandarin drake is swimming with the ducks.

I feel no incentive to pack for Glencoe. Basil has spotted the suitcase and is sitting close to me as I write. He understands that suitcases mean I'm going away.