Marshland landowner hit by vandals again
ARSONISTS have targeted the property of a businessman supplying land for a controversial wind farm in Marshland St James.
A small aircraft parked at an airfield belonging to Rod Herbert (64) was destroyed in the attack, which took place in Middle Drove just before 7.30pm on Tuesday.
The fire comes just nine days after Mr Herbert, whose brother Richard (47) committed suicide amid the controversy surrounding the wind farm plans, woke to find four windows at this home had been smashed.
Mr Herbert, owner of RJ Herbert Engineering, said none of his property was damaged in the blaze and he was not linking the incidents at this time.
Fire crews from Downham and Outwell spent nearly an hour battling the blaze, but a four-seater aircraft owned by retired businessman Martyn English was destroyed.
Mr English, of Tilney All Saints, told the Lynn News he did not believe it had been a personal attack and he did not wish to speculate further on the motives behind the fire.
The aircraft had recently been re-sprayed and re-upholstered at considerable cost and Mr English has been left devastated.
He said: "I had a phone call saying my aircraft was on fire and I couldn't believe it. It was a total loss. People think if you fly you are wealthy, but I'm not a wealthy man. A car is a car, but an aircraft you work all your life for."
Last month an inquest heard father-of-three Richard Herbert had drowned himself in a state of anxiety about the local backlash to the plans.
The inquest was also told Mr Richard Herbert was a struggling farmer and a member of the consortium of landowners involved in the wind farm project.
Half of the consortium members stepped down when an 85-metre test mast was destroyed by vandals and there have been many other alleged incidents of harassment and criminal damage.
A consultation event planned for Friday, March 14, about the scheme was called off at the last minute for health and safety reasons following the damage to Mr Herbert's home, a move condemned by pressure group Fenland Landscape Against Turbines (Flat). The meeting was to be the third and final event of its kind planned in Marshland St James, where Marshland Wind Farms hopes to build 19 turbines.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said it was treating the fire as arson adding: "It is too early to say if it's connected to any other incidents but our investigations continue."
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
