ARSONISTS started an early hours fire which destroyed vital nesting areas for birds at a Weymouth beauty spot.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the blaze, which they believe was started deliberately.

The fire caused 200 square metres of damage at Lodmoor Nature Reserve.

Warden Nick Quintrell said: “It is disappointing that some people find pleasure in destroying an area that others find pleasure in looking at.”

The damaged reed beds would have been used by nesting birds such as sedge warblers, reed warblers and bearded tits to raise their young.

The birds are expected to begin to nest in the coming weeks and months, so experts do not believe the fire would have killed any young birds.

Mr Quintrell said: “It is too early for most of the birds to be settling on a nest, though there may have been a wren in there somewhere.”

He added: “This has destroyed quite a large area of habitat and while the timing was not critical, it is not ideal. Birds that may have nested there will have to go elsewhere to raise their young and it will take up to three years for the reed beds to acquire the correct mixture of old and new reed stems to become a viable nesting ground again.”

Mr Quintrell added that it will also take up to six months for the area to return to a stage where it provides a good foraging area for the species that inhabit the nature reserve.

The blaze was started between 3.45am and 4am on Saturday March 10 at Lodmoor Country Park.

PC Julian Dingle, of Weymouth Police, said: “The fire destroyed an area of approximately 200 square metres of Lodmoor Nature Reserve.

“The area of wildlife that has been burnt consisted mostly of reeds.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police by calling 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Spoonbills visit beauty spot

LODMOOR’S reed beds attract a number of visiting birds of international importance.

Visitors include a pair of spoonbills, a species not commonly seen in Britain and one that is of European conservation concern.

Mr Quintrell said: “These are found all over the world, but only recently established in this country, though there is a small breeding colony in Norfolk.

“They are amazingly weird looking things, and based on past behaviour, could hang around for a few days or a few weeks.”