Firefighters were called to a large grass fire in the Staffordshire Moorlands which was deemed to be "deliberate".

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people of the dangers of setting deliberate fires after crews were called at 9.35pm on Monday (22 June) to Roach Road, Upper Hulme, following reports of a fire.

The service said five appliances and a water carrier attended the scene and found an area of grassland measuring approximately 30 metres by 30 metres well alight.

The fire was extinguished using a hose reel jet, backpacks and beaters and crews remained at the scene overnight to monitor hotspots.

The cause has been deemed to be deliberate.

Station Manager Helen Chadwick attended the scene. She said: "Deliberate fires not only put a strain on resources but damage wildlife and scenery.

"Particularly during this warm weather, incidents like this can rapidly spread out of control and pose significant danger to the local community. It is vital that people do not start these fires and further stretch our resources in what we expect will be an incredibly busy period across Staffordshire.

"I would urge parents to speak to their children about the dangers of setting fires and help us to make sure everyone enjoys the sun safely this summer."

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Staffordshire Police are appealing for information following the fire.

Chief Inspector Cliff Goodwin, of the Staffordshire Moorlands local policing team, said: "We believe this fire was caused by young people setting off fireworks on the roaches, which is not only incredibly dangerous but also damages wildlife.

"I would urge anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage of the area at the time, or anyone with any information, to contact us.

"With this week's warm weather, fires can spread quickly and become out of control, so I am reminding people that setting fires is a crime and we will be taking robust action against those responsible."

Following the fire, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has also renewed their push to raise £15,000 this summer to fund work including fire prevention measures, habitat restoration, and ongoing care for vulnerable sites.

Jeff Sim, Head of Nature Reserves, said: "Looking over the fire site this morning, we see some encouraging signs. The fire caused minimal damage where the sphagnum moss plants are well established in the vegetation as they've kept the ground wet.

"Help us protect these irreplicable habitats by donating to our appeal. As temperatures rise, so does the fire risk. It costs us time and money to respond when disaster strikes. Your donation will help fund our fire prevention work, as well as restoration work in the aftermath of fires.

"Your contribution will help us rewet more peat and fund equipment to help us reduce the risk of fires spreading. Help us protect these irreplaceable habitats which our wildlife needs to survive."

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To contact the police, call 101, quoting incident 1019 of 22 June, or use Live Chat on the Staffordshire Police website. To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

For more grass fire prevention tips from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service visit Grass fire prevention.

To find out more about the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust appeal, visit the website here.