'Appalling' arsonists wreck four square miles of forest

A COUNCIL has slammed arsonists who damaged an area of forest the size of more than 900 football pitches.

- 

The blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to Brierley Forest, Sutton-In-Ashfield, at 2.45am after the inferno spread throughout the woodland and undergrowth.

Ashfield District Council found that fire had burnt almost four square miles of Brierley Forest.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said that its Polaris unit and wildfire specialist units were deployed to the scene.