Devastation at Sunderland allotment as police investigate suspected arson after chickens killed and site destroyed in fire

Alan Walker, 69, was devastated to find his allotment in South Hylton damaged following a fire on Friday, November 4 at around 5am – with his 30 chickens understood to have been killed in the blaze.

Pictures taken on Friday morning show huge flames engulfing the site – which Alan had maintained for seven years – and also the extensive damage left behind.

Northumbria Police has now launched an investigation and is treating the cause of the fire as suspected arson.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene with three appliances from Farringdon, Gateshead and Marley Park Community Fire Stations after receiving an emergency call.

One hose reel and a jet were used to extinguish the fires and the crews left the scene at 5.54am.

Grandson Anth Bate has spoken of his grandad’s devastation following the incident.

The allotment was Alan’s “pride and joy”, Anth said, and he visited it every day to keep himself busy following the death of his wife Valerie, who passed away in 2011.

A GoFundMe page launched by Anth in the aftermath of the fire raised more than £1,000 in just a few days after he set it up in a bid to restore his grandad’s allotment as soon as possible.

Alan had hoped to mark his 70th birthday there on November 10.

Anth told the Echo: “It’s been heartbreaking for us all, it’s taken him more than five years to get it the exact way he wanted with his log cabin and he had said just days before the fire that he had finished it – and now it’s all just gone like that.

"He wanted to spend his birthday in his happy place and it’s been keeping him busy since Nana passed away – it was his pride and joy.

"It’s awful, he’s more upset about the chickens than the place because he says it can be rebuilt, so that’s why I’ve launched the fundraiser to help out.”

At time of writing, the GoFundMe page has raised more than £1,000 with the family “overwhelmed” by the community’s support.

Anth, who works at Hays Travel, added: “Everyone has been so supportive, we’ve had people asking if they can help tidy up and rebuild the allotment and even some offering things like a new generator.

"We’re so overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of people, we really appreciate everybody’s support.”

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Shortly after 5am on Friday (November 4) we received a report from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service of a fire at allotments at Pottery Lane, South Hylton, Sunderland.

“The fire was extinguished and an investigation is now underway to establish the cause.

“At this stage, we are currently treating the cause of the fire as suspected arson.

“Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website using reference number NP-20221104-0142.”

You can donate to Anth’s fundraiser for his grandad via this link.