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Migrants camp burnt out in 'hate campaign'
A group of homeless Eastern European migrants believe they are the victims of a hate campaign after their camp next to Fletton Lake was burned to the ground.
A group of homeless Eastern European migrants believe they are the victims of a hate campaign after their camp next to Fletton Lake was burned to the ground.The four Polish men claim they have been repeatedly targeted by a gang of teenage yobs since they set up a makeshift encampment of tents in a sheltered wooded area next to the city beauty spot in the Old Fletton area earlier this month.
But what began as insults and brick-throwing took a sinister – and potentially fatal – turn on Wednesday night, when their secluded camp was deliberately set on fire in an arson attack.
No one was injured in the blaze, but it completely destroyed all of the men's tents, their bedding and all of their belongings, except for a few clothes and some scraps of food.
Returning to the scene to pick through the ashes for what little remained of his property, 30-year-old Krzysztof Halabis told The Evening Telegraph he and his friends had been deliberately targeted.
Speaking in broken English, he said: "We were living here no problem. We have been told it is OK, but these local kids have a problem with us. I don't know why, but they have a problem with us.
"I don't know where we will go now. All I have is my clothes."
Mr Halabis, who said he came to Peterborough in search of work but was forced to live rough when he could not find a job, showed The ET bricks which he said had been thrown at their camp by the youths he claims are responsible for the arson attack.
Fortunately for him and his friends, they were not around when a series of fires was started in each of their tents, at about 6.30pm on Wednesday.
Firefighters were called to the blaze, near Fleet Way, Fletton, shortly afterwards and arrived to find the smouldering remains of the encampment, with suitcases and clothes strewn around the woodland clearing.
A police investigation has since been launched, and watch manager at Stanground fire station Will Collins said lives could potentially have been lost in the senseless attack.
He said: "If someone had been sleeping in the tents at the time they would have had very little chance to have got out and could have been very seriously injured, if not killed.
"Because of the flammable nature of the material and the close proximity of the tents, the fire would have flared up very quickly and spread very quickly. It is very lucky that no-one was inside at the time."
The land where the encampment was set up is owned by development company O&H Hampton.
General manager Roger Tallowin said: "We were not aware of this settlement and we don't encourage trespass on our land."
Anyone with information about the fire can call police on 0845 456 4564.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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