Questions over fire at beauty spot

Investigations were under way today into the cause of a fire that devastated a visitor centre at a popular Black Country beauty spot.

Flames ripped through part of the visitor centre at the Sandwell Valley RSPB nature reserve in Great Barr after the fire broke out on Saturday morning.

The beauty spot is currently undergoing a £120,000 major refurbishment programme.

Thousands of pounds of damage are believed to have been caused to the centre which is located off Tanhouse Lane.

Firefighters from West Bromwich, Handsworth and Perry Barr tackled the flames when the crews were called to the premises shortly before 2.30am on Saturday.

The building lost half of its roof in the blaze and as yet the cause is unknown. The beauty spot is a popular venue for families and bird watchers and the current revamp work includes a new pond in the wildlife garden, which will also benefit from new paths, flower borders and seating areas, along with a new volunteers workshop, a storage facility and a cycle shelter.

RSPB site manager Lee Copplestone today said the visitor centre will be shut until further notice and meetings were being held today to discuss plans for keeping activities going.

Mr Copplestone, said: "We are looking at contingencies and ways we can cope with the school bookings because we work with around 3,000 school children a year on site so that is the priority.

"We have also got things like parent and toddler groups and play schemes and hold wildlife clubs.

"We are looking ahead and trying to be positive, the reserve itself is open and still accessible on foot, but the car park will be closed and the building will remain closed for a while. We are not looking at operating from the building for a while."

Part of the refurbishment money is also being spent on apprentices for the bird life centre, an extension to the car park and paths which will be widened around the nature reserve.