Farms 'almost lawless' warns Cambridgeshire farmer after suspected arson attacks
She's meeting local fire and police chiefs to talk about the issue
A farmer near Peterborough says a year of work could be ruined after suspected arsonists set off a series of fires at her farm.
Footpaths and the edges of several wheat crops on Judith Jacobs' farm were targeted in the space of two days last month, which she believes were started deliberately.
"Potentially all our years' hard work could easily have gone up in smoke just by mindless people setting fire to the dry grass verge on the edge of our crops and it's really bad people think that behaviour is acceptable," Judith said.
"(Suspects have) no respect for their environment, just mindlessly setting fire to it, walking away, causing us hours of extra work to do when we're particularly busy because we're harvesting at the moment."
'To put up with this is not fair'
Judith - who's been farming in the Peterborough area for around 30 years - looks after around 200 animals, but fears what future fires could do to farmland and the wider community.
"(The suspects are) currently endangering the village from a fire, our cows, sheep, it could be a large scale disaster if it was to happen again because it's two weeks on now and it's more dry than it was then," she said.
"We as farmers are taxpayers and law-abiding, and to put up with this is just not fair."
Cambridgeshire Police have said an investigation into the fires are ongoing.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) said one crew from Dogsthorpe were called to a fire on Rectory Lane in Peakirk at 9pm on June 28.
"The crew extinguished the fire and returned to their station by 9.30pm; the cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate," the spokesperson said.
"Anyone with information should contact police or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."
MP, fire and police chiefs to meet
Judith is set to meet local fire and police chiefs, as well as Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes and parish councillors today on what can be done to better protect farmers from rural crime.
She's hoping those responsible can be held to account.
"I'd like them to make the public aware of what is going on in the countryside; it is almost lawless," she added.
"Nobody that I'm aware of are never prosecuted, after our work collecting evidence and we work so hard to help the council do this, it seems pointless but we carry on.
"I think somebody needs to be made accountable for all the problems we're having."
Latest figures from CFRS show crews have been called to more than 100 farm fires in the last two years, with more than half happening between June and August.