Two teens who set fire to hay bale prompts police warning to parents

The incident comes amid tinder-dry conditions caused by the heatwave
The incident comes amid tinder-dry conditions caused by the heatwave

Police are investigating an incident in which two boys set fire to a hay bale, prompting a warning for parents to reiterate good behaviour during the school holidays.

Derbyshire Rural Crime Team posted the incident on Facebook, describing how the two 14-year-old boys set fire to a hay bale on a Derbyshire farm over the weekend.

It follows a warning by rural insurer NFU Mutual that tinder dry conditions are putting farms at high risk of devastating fires.

"Setting light to a bale is never a good idea but when that bale is still in the baler and that baler is attached to a tractor it demonstrates another level of irresponsibility," Derbyshire Rural Crime Team said.

A member of public spotted the two boys setting fire to the bale, and acted quickly to extinguish it before any real damage was done.

"The two involved have been spoken to infront of their parents, it is clear that their summer is over before it has begun. The matter is now being dealt with by us," the police added.

Derbyshire Rural Crime Team have now urged parents to warn their children that a "moment of madness" can impact the rest of their lives.

The warning comes as schools around the UK get ready to close for summer.

"The 2 involved in this instance are of good character and their parents are shocked and hugely upset by their actions. You may think "my kids wouldn't do a thing like that", you may be right, but a gentle reminder doesn't hurt," the post concluded.

Options considered as punishment for the two boys include a few days/weeks on a working farm, the police announced.