A large fire, which “devastated” part of a wildlife reserve on the Wirral and is thought to have been started deliberately, is no longer burning.

The blaze on marshland had been put out by 7am on Sunday after firefighters were called around 6pm on Saturday to Parkgate, near Neston.

They attended the scene where around a square kilometre of marsh was in flames.

The fire led to fears for wildlife on the marsh, which is an area of special scientific interest and a reserve cared for by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

An RSPB spokesperson said: “We’re shocked and saddened by the fire that has devastated the Neston Reedbed part of our reserve this evening.”

The fire service said six engines were deployed with firefighters initially battling two areas with beaters and hoses.

Later in the evening, crews set up fire breaks to protect nearby properties after leaving the fire to burn due to unstable ground.

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Just before 7am on Sunday, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed staff had carried out a thermal imaging sweep of the area and there was no sign of fire.

Station manager Carl Nevitt, the officer in charge, said on Saturday night: “The marshland is a site of special scientific interest.

“The fire is covering around one square kilometre of the area and is being driven by wind.

“We have created fire breaks to protect properties and the police air support unit has been used to give us information on the directional spread of the blaze.”

People expressed their horror on social media following the incident, with one Twitter user writing: “This is terrible and a disaster for wildlife at the start of the breeding season.”

Another described the fire as a “dreadful sight”.

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