Arson spree at Sholver

The damage at Sholver Youth Centre

ARSONISTS went on the rampage through Sholver last night leaving the community centre badly damaged.

Vandals set fire to the roof of the Sholver Lane building at 3am during a spate of arson attacks throughout the night which left Oldham firefighters rushing to douse the flames.

The same arsonists are suspected of further attacks at a block of flats on Swift Road at 4am and at Poynter Walk at 5.30am.

Oldham Fire Station crew commander Paul Greaves said: “There was a lot of damage to the roof at the community centre but we managed to stop it from spreading.

“We believe the three fires are definitely linked and it was the same people responsible.

“There appears to be an arsonist at work in Sholver.”

At Swift Road, rubbish was set alight at the entrance to the flats but no-one was hurt as firefighters contained the blaze.

At Poynter Walk, a wheelie bin was pushed into a doorway and set alight. The fire could have been deadly as, while the flats are mostly empty, they do have occupants on the top floor — one managed to put the flames out before firefighters made it safe.

The community centre, opened in November, 1975, forms a youth centre and is well-used by community groups. It’s not yet known how bad the damage is or how much it will cost to repair.

The attacks come despite major efforts to unite the community, including the recent Love Sholver festival that saw residents turn out in force to take part in talent contests and enjoy entertainment.

Shocked ward councillor Jackie Stanton said: “The centre is well-used and an important part of Sholver.

“These mindless yobs have tried to rip the heart out of the community.”

In a tortuous night for the fire crew, who dealt with several other incidents, they also came under attack from youths who shone a laser pen in their eyes.

They were alerted to a false alarm at Trafalgar Street, Coldhurst, at 8.50pm only to be dazzled by the searing light.

The incident was reported to police. Officers visited a property and found two boys, aged 10 and 11, in a bedroom using the laser pen. It was confiscated and their parents were informed.

Mr Greaves said: “They were targeting us and trying to shine it in our eyes. One of my colleagues had the beam right in his eyes but does not appear to have suffered any injuries.”

A police spokesman said the fires were under investigation.