A FIRE which destroyed three garages is believed to have been deliberately started, firefighters have said.

Fire crews from Basildon and Brentwood were called to Stocks Lane, Kelvedon Hatch, shortly after 1pm on Thursday.

They responded following a 999 call made by concerned neighbours.

Arriving at the scene, firefighters discovered a large pile of flytipped rubbish had been set alight, which sent the garages up in flames.

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Marc Kyprianou, Basildon Fire Station’s crew manager, said: "We believe this fire was started deliberately.

“There was a large pile of flytipped rubbish, general waste, plus a mattress and some chairs. These items were set alight, and the fire spread to the garages, two of which have been completely destroyed.

"Piles of rubbish are often used to start fire. They account for the largest proportion of deliberate fires we attend. So keeping your property clear of rubbish reduces your risk significantly.

“There are also ways to report flytipping via your local council. If you see any flytipping you can report it to your local council who will arrange for it to be collected.”

Mr Kyprianou continued: "I would urge anyone that knows how this fire started to report it to FireStoppers.

“FireStoppers is a completely independent charity which is 100 per cent anonymous.

“We are working really hard to stop these deliberate fires which are wasting our resources, tying us up when we might be needed at a real emergency and also putting lives at risk. If you know anything, please report it.”