Well, if you've been following my Twitter feed you'll know that it's been quite an evening at Dale Towers near Saffron Walden. We've been spending the weekend with my parents at their farm (where I grew up) in Ashdon.
At about 9pm my partner John went out for a smoke and came rushing in saying he thought there was a fire at the back of the farm, where my father lets one of the villagers work on his stock cars.
We rushed round there - it's about 300 yards from the house - and the flames were leaping 30 feet in the air and were threatening a barn and a mobile phone mast. I phoned 999 and within about ten minutes three fire engines carrying about 20 firemen arrived from nearby Linton and Saffron Walden. They soon had it under control. Around half an hour later two police arrived.
I shall be careful what I say, but it is pretty clear it was arson. People were seen running away from the farm. Villages are small places. People know things. The stock car guy knows who did it. I know who did it. The police know who did it. Will they be charged? Will they buggery.
Still, the evening did have some consolation for my two sisters. They spent the entire time trying to snog the firemen and making jokes about helmets and sliding down poles. I, of course, maintained my decorum at all times.
Finally, a word of praise for Essex & Cambridgeshire Fire Brigade. They were superb this evening. Thanks, guys.
An evening with 20 firemen?
ReplyDeleteIn other circumstances it could be something to dream about :)
So who did it?
ReplyDeleteInsured? Well that's all a bit bloody rude and good that John smokes too.
ReplyDeleteGlad that everyone's alright and kinda lucky that you lot were there to keep spirits up and offer a 'unique' method of support for Saffron Walden's finest & bravest.
Any phone numbers obtained by the gals?
The mystery deepens...
ReplyDeleteSad to hear that Iain, but glad everything is ok.
ReplyDeleteEesh - very glad nobody was hurt.
ReplyDeleteSounds as if it was caught relatively quickly, thankfully!
ReplyDeleteI was out in Edinburgh at Christmas and the pub burned down! Fire spreads rapidly and quick action is needed....the fire brigade and police tend not to mess around.
As I said in reply to your "tweet", which you probably didn't see as you don't follow me, even though I follow you, but why would you follow me, I'm just a boring housewife. Anyway, as I said back then - it's a case this time of smoking not being bad for your health. Am jealous of your sisters, though we did have a tree catch fire in our street (also arson) a year or so ago, and the firemen were gorgeous, oh, and did a magnificent job!!
ReplyDeleteSo, if John didn't smoke, there'd have been even worse damage?
ReplyDeleteOh. Rather blows a hole in my "all smoking bad" mania.
Glad the fire brigade got it sorted. I wonder if the stock car guys might get it sorted, too.
Might make the little firebuggers wish they had been arrested and prosecuted!
Pikies ?
ReplyDeleteNeed the Tony Martin Solution.
Glad you're all OK, sorry to hear of your rubbish evening. It's sad that you think they'll never get caught. Two years ago a similar thing happened to me; my flat was torched by a drug addict with a grudge against my landlord. It was lucky I'd stopped to watch something on TV, for if I had been in the shower (the fire was started at the back of the flat, by the bathroom) or on my PC at the back of the house, I wouldn't be here now. Everyone knew who did it but unfortunately because I didn't see him, it couldn't be proved.
ReplyDeleteGlad your parents and all of you got out OK. It's a horrible experience that haunts me still.
Adverts by Google, as seen on the side of your blog just now;
ReplyDelete1. Fire Risk Assessments: C2 Safety will do the work for you!
2. Fire Training in Devon: Delivered in your Time & Premises to your Staff & Fire Procedures
3. Police Auctions UK: Bargain auctions ending soon, bidding starts at only 10p!
Google have certainly got a sense of humour, haven't they? Although there was also this one...
4. Tooth Whitening 1 Hour: Call [number removed] King Street Dental Practice Saffron Walden.
Anyone know what the link between 20 firemen and tooth whitening is?
Grim Reaper: the tooth whitening ad came up because of John going out for a smoke. Welcome to the nanny non-statal entity.
ReplyDeleteThe stock car guy knows who did it. I know who did it. The police know who did it. Will they be charged? Will they buggery.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a pretty ridiculous thing to say, especially as a wannabe member of "the establishment". Are you saying that no matter what happened or what evidence there might be of what happened Her Majesty will not prosecute anyone?
The stock car guy knows who did it. I know who did it. The police know who did it. Will they be charged? Will they buggery.
ReplyDeleteAnd you wonder why people consider voting for the BNP? If the Conservatives don't make it clear that they are not 'more of the same politicians', the BNP will get in. I shudder, but I understand that people are hungry for change. A change in society, not who troughs in No 10.
As far as I am aware it is precisely because Iain Dale has no wish to be part of the British Leftist establishment that he supports the parliamentary protest group called the Conservative Party.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the issue of who he believes was responsible for the fire, I suggest you restrain your Leftist desire to tell him what to think since you know zero about it.
Wet&Wild said
ReplyDeleteI suggest you restrain your... desire to tell him what to think
I was not telling Mr Dale what to think, I was suggesting that it was not a very sensible or encouraging allegation.
If disagreeing with any Tory blog post is "Leftist" then I am a raging communist.
Since it is you telling him that it is "not very sensible" to have the belief he has (even though you know absolutely nothing about why he has that belief) it is you who is being presumptive.
ReplyDelete"Since it is you telling him that it is "not very sensible" to have the belief he has (even though you know absolutely nothing about why he has that belief) it is you who is being presumptive."
ReplyDeleteIf someone earnestly buttonholes me in a pub to tell me about how NASA faked the moon landings, am I being 'a bit presumptive' if I tell that that that's not a very sensible belief...?
There may very well be good reason for Iain to think that. There may not.
But until we know why he does appear to believe that, we are free to be sceptical.
Well it's nice to see that firemen can do their job, free from sexual harrassment. Would it be ok to write about an office with 20 secretaries who had a bunch of execs leering over them, trying to kiss them and making saucy innuendo about having something to 'dicktate''?
ReplyDeleteTo be fair to the police, you do need more than village gossip to charge someone with arson.
ReplyDeleteDespite Labour's efforts to ruin the justice system, you do still need some evidence to get someone to court.
Perhaps it's time to "Send the boys round"
ReplyDelete"Well it's nice to see that firemen can do their job, free from sexual harrassment."
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to define 'sexual harassment' as 'admiring glances', we're ALL in trouble.
Seriously, though, I'd like to know: sense of humour. Not born with one, or had it surgically removed at a young age?
Shame it wasn't Labour up in flames. Doesn't seem too far away.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if you'd caught up with the culprits and given one or all of them a clip round the ear, you'd have been nicked on the spot and thrown in clink for the night. That's how policing in Labour Britain works, of course!
ReplyDeleteOK, I hand in my slapstick and Young Fascist Joke-Book - this is the greatest and most eye-catching post title of any Right-wing blogger I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteAnd there's some of the best self-mockery ever down there in the article, too.
And a Daily Mail curtain-twitcher law-and-order why-oh-why substantive point to make on top.
With a sense of humour like this are you ABSOLUTELY sure you're not already a member of HMG?
Is this likely to turn into another stage show to follow a successful run of 'An evening with Ann Widdecombe'?
ReplyDeleteI suspect the audiences may be a little different.
Firemen Good. Police Bad.
ReplyDeleteHmmm
Damn
ReplyDeleteI had a bet on with Ladbrokes that you were going to go a whole week (sic) without mentioning that you are a poof on your blog.
250/1 as well.
Never mind
Draper did it, didn't he.
ReplyDeletehttp://cctvstar.blogspot.com/
I trust that the fire crew fairly represented the population as a whole?
ReplyDeleteApart from that, as long as there was no racial or homophobic motivation the police will not waste valuable resources trying to prosecute the offenders.
There are far more important things for them to do like tracking down leaking Tories and Carol Thatcher.
Julie M. I don't define "admiring glances" as sexual harassment but would the post:
ReplyDelete"I had a tough day at work today but there was some consolation for the boys I work with. They spent the entire day trying to snog the office secretaries and making notes about having something for the girls to take down, and some dicktation for them"
You may want to mumble some rubbish about me not having a sense of humour or you could wise up and note the double standards applied to men and women when it comes to sexual harassment.
The common retort in situations like this would be that the firemen love the attention and no harm is done....wasn't this the same nonsense that was spouted about women in male dominated environments in the past, "oh she loves the attention...its just a bit of fun wolf whistling at her and making comments about her tits and arse..lighten up...where's your sense of humour"
"...you could wise up and note the double standards applied to men and women when it comes to sexual harassment."
ReplyDeleteExcept we aren't talking about 'sexual harassment', are we..?
And as for the double standard, that's life. Spend less time banging your head over it, and you'll be much, much happier. Women might even cast a few admiring glances your way.
Sorry, that should read 'women might even 'sexually harass' you...
Thankfully people aren't just charged on the basis of "I know who did it, we know who did it...". Lots of lovely case law from the 18th century shows that even then such hearsay wasn't permissible!
ReplyDeleteMy son-in-law to be wants to be a fireman. Solid, nice young man. Lives with my daughter in Bristol. They don't want him tho'. Why? Because he's white, and Somerset & Avon give preference to ethnic minorities
ReplyDeleteMake you sick, doesn't it?
"Blue Eyes" was not being "sceptical" he was asserting (on the basis of zero evidence) that it was "ridiculous" for Iain to believe that he knew who was responsible for the fire.
ReplyDeleteNor, Andrew, did Iain say that any conviction of said person ought to rest solely on that belief.
In short "Blue Eyes" is telling him what to say, and you are putting words in his mouth!
To be "sexual harassment" doesn't it have to be "unwanted" or "unwelcome".
ReplyDeleteHow do we know? We haven't yet seen the ladies involved who may be vivacious and charrming.
Every time I see Harriet Harpieperson on TV for example, I feel harassed!! Can I claim?
Andy
ReplyDeleteAs a student of human nature let me suggest this to you. I am a fireman (or woman) called out to stock cars on fire late at night in a field. Car fires are dirty smelly things and I have a choice of spending all my time on that or chatting to some very nice friendly ladies and gentlemen who probably offer me some refreshments.
Which do you think I am probably more interested in?
Iain's BNP item is at: http://tinyurl.com/c2vv3d starting 12 minutes in.
ReplyDeleteElby the Beserk said:
ReplyDelete" My son-in-law to be wants to be a fireman. Solid, nice young man. Lives with my daughter in Bristol. They don't want him tho'. Why? Because he's white, and Somerset & Avon give preference to ethnic minorities."
With all due respect... bullshit. I just don't believe you. For one thing, I just checked & the Avon & Somerset fire service has no current vacancies for firefighters. Secondly, you've twisted in your mind what is a normal stated desire for an organisation of having a diverse workforce into a pathetic excuse for your son unfortunately not succeeding in his application.
""Blue Eyes" was not being "sceptical" he was asserting (on the basis of zero evidence) that it was "ridiculous" for Iain to believe that he knew who was responsible for the fire."
ReplyDeleteComprehension - FAIL!
He was asserting that it was ridiculous for Iain to believe that no charges would be brought, not that he knew who started the fire...
"..a normal stated desire for an organisation of having a diverse workforce.."
Which helps them to put out fires....how, exactly?
JuliaM,
ReplyDeleteIn his entry Iain Dale expressed his belief that
A) He knows who started the fire
B) They will not be prosecuted
"Blue Eyes" asserted it was a "ridiculous claim". I suggested that he restrain his desire to tell him what to think about who started the fire since he knows zero about it. To which he replied that
"I was not telling Mr Dale what to think, I was suggesting that it was not a very sensible or encouraging allegation."
To which I replied that asserting that it is "not very sensible" to have the belief he has (even though you know absolutely nothing about why he has that belief) is presumptive.
To which you replied
"If someone...buttonholes me in a pub to tell me about how NASA faked the moon landings, am I being 'a bit presumptive' if I tell that that that's not a very sensible belief...?
I responded that "Blue Eyes" was asserting (on the basis of zero evidence) that it was "ridiculous" for Iain to believe that he knew who was responsible for the fire.
You replied that
"He was asserting that it was ridiculous for Iain to believe that no charges would be brought, not that he knew who started the fire"
In other words "Blue Eyes" was not objecting to
A) He knows who started the fire
he was objecting to
B) They will not be prosecuted
It is a fair point, but since I addressed point A), and neither you nor "Blue Eyes" responded that you were objecting to point B) not point A), it is irrelevant.
As it happens since only a tiny proportion of criminal offences in the UK lead to convictions, I also believe that the claim that the police will be too inept to bring about a conviction (even though Iain believes he knows who committed the crime) is NOT a "ridiculous" claim, nor is it analogous to asserting that NASA "faked the moon landings".
"..a normal stated desire for an organisation of having a diverse workforce.."
ReplyDeleteWhich helps them to put out fires....how, exactly?
Irrelevant. Recruitment via discrimination-against-whites has nothing to do with getting the job done, whether it's firepersons or anything else. It's all to do with leftist dogma. Check with Harriet for any further explanations.
"I also believe that the claim that the police will be too inept to bring about a conviction (even though Iain believes he knows who committed the crime) is NOT a "ridiculous" claim"..."
ReplyDeleteReally? You think the fact that Iain Dale is a 'known personality' won't bring a better response from the police than if a member of the public reported it? Pshaw!
After all, it worked with rthe fire brigade - handsome firemen only, it seems. No plug-uglies... ;)
Perhaps Sir Alan Haselhurst MP will help you?!
ReplyDeletehahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
you'll be waiting a long time for that one!
I'm glad nobody was injured.
OMFG - What started as a light hearted post on what could have been a tragic evening has turned into a racist, sexist, political, moaning, whinging free for all. For fucks sake people, give it a rest. There are enough blogs/posts/articles for every one to get up on their soap box and have a shout. Ease off and smile a little. Stop treating every post on every blog as your own political/social platform.(JuliaM this rant is not aimed at you).
ReplyDeleteIain, thank you for making me chuckle. I'm glad everyone was ok. Tell your sisters they are lucky wenches and I only forgive them because they appear to share my sense of humour (helmets and poles etc). Feel free to e-mail me any photos,
regards, Mummy.
Except we aren't talking about 'sexual harassment', are we..?
ReplyDeleteErm, yes if the firemen object to being leered at then yes we are. Anyone working in a public facing role has the same rights not to be sexually objectified as someone in an office, factory or school.
And as for the double standard, that's life. Spend less time banging your head over it, and you'll be much, much happier. Women might even cast a few admiring glances your way.
That's what's called an "ad hominem" argument Julie. If I need some tips on the ladies, I'll be sure to canvass your advice though.
"Anyone working in a public facing role has the same rights not to be sexually objectified as someone in an office, factory or school."
ReplyDeleteYeah, good luck with that 'defying human nature' thing. Let us all know how you get on, won't you.
"If I need some tips on the ladies, I'll be sure to canvass your advice though."
Nah, try 'Canvas' instead. More your speed, if you know what I mean...
..and I think you do ;)
Good lord, what a lot of ranting.
ReplyDeleteI hope your Pa had planning consent for change of use to allow vehicle maintenance in one of the farm buildings. If he didn't, he'd be unlikely to get it granted after a fire, as that gives ammo to the planners for refusal.