A Brentwood animal sanctuary is thanking its lucky stars after no animals were harmed in a fire which broke out on Saturday (July 30).
A spokesperson for Essex Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the sanctuary at 1.34pm to tackle a large fire in grassland.
It was extinguished by 2.25pm, they said.
The fire thankfully only reached the boundary hedges of Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, on Sawyers Hall Lane, with staff spotting it before it had caused too much damage and the fire service arriving quickly on the scene.
A spokesperson for the sanctuary said while it is not clear how the fire started, the charity found a large amount of litter and a discarded lighter.
However, Essex Fire and Rescue Service said the cause remains unknown.
The sanctuary said it is thankful that no animals were hurt, but the incident has made it more aware of the increasing risks from fires.
“It hasn't impacted us in any other way. However, it's made us even more wary of how careless people can be, given how dry the ground and fields are at the moment, and the fact that we're surrounded by fields is quite scary,” the spokesperson said.
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