Higham Ferrers fishing group ‘devastated’ after container fire

The manager of an angling club said he was left “devastated” after a suspected arson attack destroyed around £6,000 worth of fishing and electrical equipment.

Craig Parkins, 40, of Fishing for Minds, part of Higham Ferrers Riverside Angling Club, in Northamptonshire, said years of work collected in a storage container had “gone up in smoke”.

Mr Parkins, from nearby Rushden, said the group was set up in 2023 to help people with mental health problems, as he suffers from anxiety.

Northamptonshire Police said the fire, started in the early hours of October 13, was believed to be deliberate.

Mr Parkins, director of Fishing for Minds and welfare officer for the angling club, said he received a phone call from a member of the public telling him the container where all their equipment was stored had been “set on fire”.

He believes the fire happened around 01:00 BST on October 13.

Both are non-profit organizations.

“At the time we thought all the material had been burned, but we think some of it might have been stolen because we didn’t see any burnt reels on the ground,” he said.

“I took a walk in the park and found some walking sticks lying around in the woods.”

He estimated the total cost of the damage was around £6,000, including around £3,000 worth of fishing equipment.

It also includes the cost of repairing the container and replacing other items like seat baskets, chairs, carts, lawn mower, hand tools and fishing equipment.

Mr Parkins said: “I’m upset, angry, it saddened me. I was just devastated.

“My mental health has taken a bit of a hit, I suffer from very bad anxiety and now I suffer from insomnia.

“I lost a few sentimental items but luckily we are insured.”

He said the community quickly mobilized and donated items, so groups could continue sessions with young people, including planned mid-term events.

A fundraising appeal has so far raised around £200.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped, it shows how strong the fishing community is,” he added.