Police confirm Ffrith Beach fire believed to be deliberate

Flames could be seen for miles as two North Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews attended the fire that spread rapidly among the dunes of Ffrith Beach on the Prestatyn coastline.

A North Wales Police spokesperson said: “It is believed to be a deliberate ignition.

Denbighshire County Councillor Paul Penlington attended the scene and sympathised with exasperated residents.

Mr Penlington said: “It was potentially very serious.

“If the fire brigade hadn’t arrived at the time it did it probably would have reached the buildings at the Ffrith.

“There have been a number of incidents of fire-setting in that area.

“I’m really angry, it’s shocking behaviour.

Across social media, residents voiced their displeasure at the situation, with one resident saying: “Just what do they get out of such criminal destruction?

“The wildlife, the beauty of our area, have they really got nothing more constructive to do?”.

Fire services tend to the blaze. Photo: Zoe Price

Another resident said: “Ruined the sea defence system for a good few years now, that marram grass holds together the sand”, while another argued that there were “definitely stronger punishments needed”.

Councillor Penlington believes that greater community cooperation is required to tackle the problem, following a similar fire in Parkgate.

Mr Penlington added: “You can’t expect any one agency to deal with it, nobody has got the resources anymore.

“I think it’s going to take a whole community approach to engage with young people, to try to get them involved with community activities instead of causing difficulties like they do at the moment.”