MUDEFORD Sandbank beach hut owners have spoken out after three huts were set on fire and 30 were broken into yesterday morning.

Police and fire crews attended the scene in the early hours of Saturday, February 6, morning and are now trying to ascertain what caused this incident.

Bournemouth Echo: Photo by Stephen BathPhoto by Stephen Bath

A full investigation is underway, and a cordon is currently in place to allow for a thorough examination of the scene to take place.

Four beach hut owners were at the scene on Saturday after their huts were targeted. 

Although none of their huts were set alight, the perpetrators broke in and stole items, including alcohol, from their huts.

James Lewis, who has owned his hut for about 18 months, said: "Whoever was here has been inside the hut and everything has been dragged out of it and it looks like there is spray paint on the decking.

"I’ve heard about incidents like this happening in the past so it doesn’t surprise me.

"The perpetrators have been through a lot of huts and stolen a lot of alcohol."

Bournemouth Echo: Two huts which were broken intoTwo huts which were broken into

Steve Walters said: "We’ve been here 27 years and we’ve never seen anything this bad. I’m surprised there’s no security cameras down here, especially as so much rent comes off of these huts."

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Increasing security for the area and the beach huts was a point raised by all four owners.

Toby Randall said: "The biggest thing is that us owners pay an awful lot of money to the council in terms of service charge and there’s absolutely no security at all.

"We’re not allowed to come and stay here in the winter months so there’s no one here overnight at all.

"It’s just a sitting target waiting for people. We desperately need council security here to protect what is our favourite place."

Bournemouth Echo: Mudeford Sandbank beach hutsMudeford Sandbank beach huts

Steve said: "There needs to be proper CCTV on the road and patrols at night. There should be police presence every now and again too."

Ian Chastney said: "I know that things have changed for Christchurch and for such a massive area we don’t get any attention at all. 

"We get bad press down here because the beach huts sell for £300,000, but mine was £8,000. I don’t have £300,000 to buy a new hut, and I’m lucky that mine is ok. But I think it’s really important to convey that it’s not just people with £300,000 who own these huts."

A 15-year-old boy from Bournemouth has been arrested on suspicion of arson and burglary and is currently assisting detectives with their enquiries.