'Two chalets and caravan' go up in flames at animal sanctuary once at centre of welfare case

The owner of the Little Meadow, at Stoke Bliss, near Tenbury Wells, was jailed last year for eight months following the withdrawal of an appeal.

Graham Stephens of Broad Street, Bromyard, Hereford, was first sentenced at Worcester Magistrates’ Court in December 2022 and was also handed a lifetime disqualification order for all animals after pleading guilty to eight offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

A spokesperson for Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said that three Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews were called at 9:38am on Monday to a caravan/camping fire in Stoke Bliss.

One fire appliance each from Bromyard, Leominster and Tenbury Wells Fire Stations – plus the water carrier from Leominster attended the scene.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: "The fire involved two chalets and a caravan which were well alight as well as a telegraph pole which was fully involved in fire.

"The fire was fought by two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using two hosereel jets.

"The incident was marked as pending closure at 2:18pm but a crew from Leominster returned at 5:45pm for a re-inspection and dampened down some hotspots with a further re-inspection carried out by a crew from Tenbury Wells at 10pm."

The spokesperson added that as yet there is no indication of any cause of the fire.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police they had no record of attendance at an incident in the area.

Local comments on social media identified the site as once being the animal sanctuary run by Stephens.

The jailing of Stephens came after 44 animals were rescued from Little Meadow Animal Rescue due to repeated reports of neglect of animals.

Worcester Crown Court heard in mitigation that Stephens set up the Little Meadow Animal Rescue charity in 2010 – and had good intentions with all money raised going towards the animals.