POLICE have conducted extra patrols in an area of Newport after firefighters tackled "deliberate" grass blazes.

A field was set alight last Friday - August 5 - near Blackett Avenue and the adjacent St David's Hospice Care building.

A crew from Malpas Station rushed to the scene, finding "a large grass fire affecting an area of approximately 30 metres by 30 metres", a spokesperson for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service told the Argus.

It took the firefighters around 40 minutes to get the blaze under control, and crews remained at the scene to damp down hotspots and prevent the fire from reigniting.

The fire service said this type of incident "can have a significant impact on residents, and in this case the patients of a nearby hospice, due to the large volumes of heavy smoke they produce".

"In response, our colleagues at Gwent Police have been patrolling the area," the spokesperson added.

"Fires can destroy our countryside and are often caused by carelessness."

The fire service later shared a picture showing the damage to the field, which it described as "the aftermath of deliberate grass fires".

"These fires had a significant impact on residents, including a hospice and its patients due to the amount of heavy smoke and resulting alarm activation," the fire service added.

Anyone who sees anything suspicious should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If you see a fire, or anyone starting a fire, call 999 immediately.