FIREFIGHTERS spent hours tackling a large fire at a former timber yard in South Marston on Tuesday night following what appears to have been an arson attack.

They were called at 6.55pm to the blaze which had been started in a derelict industrial unit, part of the old Crown Timber site, on Thornhill Road.

Fire engines from Stratton, Swindon and Westlea attended along with the aerial appliance and the operational support unit.

This is the fourth time that firefighters have been to the site since the start of the year. 

In February, two crews dealt with a small rubbish fire in one of the buildings and in April a quantity of tyres within one of the buildings were set alight - four crews and the aerial appliance were called out on that occasion. 

Just last month there was another fire on the second floor of a former office block at the site and two fire crews had to respond. 

Speaking at the scene of Tuesday's fire, Station Manager Jason Underwood said that while the cause could not immediately be confirmed, there were no active connections within the building and a group of kids were seen leaving the area around the time it started.

Fire crews were on the scene until gone 10pm as they carried out a full examination, peeling off bits of roof for example, to be sure there were no pockets of fire remaining. 

Guidance was issued to residents in the area via social media to keep their doors and windows closed due to the extent of the smoke. 

Another crew from Stratton returned to the site on Wednesday morning to carry out a further check. 

Workers at nearby businesses watched on as the firefighters tackled the blaze, but they said it had not come as a surprise given the past history of the site.

Michael Eddy, who works at Young European haulage across the road, spoke of the recent incident where piles of tires were set alight. 

He said groups of teenagers regularly access the yard through a side gap in the fencing and frequently manage to evade the police when they attend.

Police officers attended the scene initially on Tuesday but were stood down when it became clear the fire service had the incident under control. 

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are also keen to make clear that repeated fires at the same site is a cause for concern. 

Group Manager Glyn Moody, deputy area commander for Swindon, said: “Whether these are fires that have been set deliberately to cause damage, or fires that have been lit for other reasons, there is a real danger to the individuals concerned, as you can never judge how quickly a fire will spread.”

He added: “This spate of deliberate fires in the South Marston area is a real concern, and I would urge anyone who has any information to contact Wiltshire Police.”

Anyone with information about the fires can call the force non-emergency number on 101.