Three separate fire attacks have left Flintshire conservationists frustrated this summer.

Despite the general site noticeboard on the perimeter of Talacre beach, arsonists have continued to deliberately set fire to crucial fencing.

The wooden fences, which surrounds Talacre’s ancient sand dunes, are constructed from Christmas trees donated by generous locals as a means of recycling plants.

Most importantly, the natural wooden fences work to help promote sand dune growth and are of conservational benefit.

The blazes are therefore damage to infastructure and also bear a threat to protected species which inhabit the Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI.)

Kim Norman, land management adviser for ENI UK, said: “The Flintshire Rangers have put time and effort into building these fences from the donations.

“They will be gutted to hear someone has gone out to destroy them.

“We think it might be people who come here at night and try to pull out the fences for their beach fires.

“But the old Christmass tree wood is secured in very well and people must get frustrated and end up having a camp fire on top of the actual fencing.”

The fire starters seem to approach the beach at night, said Kim, and by the next morning the previous evening’s fire is contained, if not completely disappeared.

She added: “This means we can’t call 999, as it’s not an emergency by morning. It makes it harder to investigate and harder to catch the arsonists.”