Park community hub damaged in fire

A community hut in a city park has been badly damaged in a fire.

The mess hut used by Friends of Gosforth Central Park in Newcastle was wrecked in a blaze in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Northumbria Police said no-one was injured, but the shelter was a hub for the volunteers who looked after the park.

Urban Green, which manages the city's parks, said it had been "an upsetting experience for everyone involved".

About 40 volunteers, mostly retired locals, meet every Monday in the park, using the mess hut to take their morning tea and biscuit break.

On Monday, Friends of Gosforth Central Park hosted a school visit where the children planted bulbs and collected leaves for composting.

Allan Gillard, chair of the group, said it was made up of people who enjoyed "mixing with people in a safe environment, as well as doing something worthwhile".

"We are all rather used to occasional outbreaks of vandalism and graffiti," he added.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said the "concentration of the fire was in an unoccupied storage building, which was significantly damaged in the blaze".

Two toilets were destroyed and the main part of the building has suffered both smoke and water damage.

The stock the group keeps for family events at Christmas and Easter was also affected.

Despite the damage, Mr Gillard is confident the sessions will continue as normal.

Mushroom Works, which has just taken the lease on the former Ladies Bowls Pavilion, is set to welcome the group for their mid-morning break and The Brandling pub on Gosforth High Street has offered its toilet facilities.

"There is great community involvement by our volunteers and an appreciation of what we do," said Mr Gillard.

"I'm sure this will continue."

The police said they were investigating cause of the fire.

Urban Green said it was working closely with the fire service and Friends of Gosforth Central Park to assess the damage and "explore how the site can be repaired and brought back into use".

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