A PICNIC bench destroyed by fire on the Lickey Hills after careless visitors left disposable barbecues behind will now be replaced by Lickey Hills Society.
In April, Lickey Hills Country Park rangers returned to work to find the picnic bench reduced to a pile of ash and the society are only now able to fund a replacement.
Despite signs warning against the use of barbecues in the park, rangers were left to shovel up the mess of the fire which also badly damaged the surrounding tarmac.
The replacement bench is due to be delivered on July 12.
Lickey Hills Society and the park rangers continue to condemn the use of disposable barbecues in the park because of the fire risks associated.
The bench fire is just one of many fires caused by disposable barbecues in the Lickey Hills over the last few years.
In the summer of last year, a fire which started in the same way resulted in the destruction of 400sq m of the park and required 12 fire crews to null the blaze.
Although no one was hurt during the fire last summer, 12 people including 4 children were evacuated from their homes and various wildlife habitats were destroyed or affected.
