A TEENAGER has admitted his involvement in a heath fire at a popular Dorset beauty spot. 

Firefighters were alerted to reports of a large fire at Bourne Valley Nature Reserve at 11.50am on August 7.

The blaze affected around 10m x 5m of area with crews attending from Redhill Park and Westbourne, along with a 4x4 appliance from Poole.

Police were called to the fire as part of the investigation as it is believed the blaze was started deliberately.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "We received a report from the fire service at 12.11pm on Wednesday 7 August 2024 of a fire at the Bourne Valley Nature Reserve off Monkton Crescent in Poole.

"Officers responded and the fire service had extinguished the burn, which was believed to have been started deliberately.”

Now, a teenager has been identified and admits his involvement in the fire, resulting in a youth caution.

A spokesperson for Poole Police said: “We are now in a position to provide an update regarding our investigation into a heath fire at the Bourne Valley Nature Reserve off Monkton Crescent, which was reported by three quick-thinking young people on Wednesday 7 August 2024.

“The three witnesses first noticed the fire and, remembering a fire safety input they had received at school, responded by contacting the emergency services so they could react promptly and prevent further damage.

“Following the fire being extinguished, we liaised with the fire service and launched an investigation as the cause was believed to be deliberate.

“After making enquiries, a teenage suspect was identified and subsequently admitted his involvement.

“He has been dealt with via a youth caution, which has involved him working with the youth justice system and the fire service to attend courses and address his offending behaviour.

“I would again like to thank the young people who reported the incident as we continue to rely on information from the public to allow us to quickly respond to incidents and investigate offences.

“We will continue to take action to identify those involved in incidents of this nature and ensure they are dealt with appropriately."