A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a spate of arson attacks in Fakenham this week.

The third arson attack was reported at 6am this morning at Fakenham Rugby Club.

A gas cylinder had been rolled across the club’s pitch and then set alight, resulting in a loud bang which could be heard across the town, and damaging a dugout and floodlight.

An hour later the police received a call from a member of the public about a man acting suspiciously in the Sculthorpe Nature Reserve.

In a joint operation with the roads policing team, the Fakenham Police were able to track the suspect to the Hempton Gardens area where he was arrested an hour later.

The Fakenham local has not only been arrested for these the three arson attacks, but also with stealing charity collection boxes from Sculthorpe Nature Reserve, as well as being in the possession of two bladed articles.

The two previous arson attacks occurred in Fakenham this week at a shipping container on Field Lane on Friday,January 5, and at Fakenham Connect on Oak Street on Wednesday, January 3.

MORE: Fakenham Rugby Club targeted in third arson attack in a week

Inspector Edward Brown of the Fakenham Police thanked the public for their support.

He said: “We understand that the public were becoming concerned about these arson attacks and we advised their vigilance and to call the police should they notice anything.

“It was down to the vigilance of a member of the public that we managed to track down the individual and arrest them, so we thank the public for their support.”

The Norfolk Fire and Rescue service had previously warned local businesses to be alert during the arson attacks.

Simon Mason, NFRS Station Manager for the Eastern Region, said: “Following the recent deliberate fires in the Fakenham area, we would encourage businesses to review their security and ensure that as much as possible, any combustible materials are kept away from buildings and secured to prevent unauthorised access. This would include items such as bins, wooden pallets and gas bottles.

“Businesses should also consider the installation of CCTV and good external lighting which can help to prevent unauthorised activity around your premises.”