A FAMILY’S ‘good life’ dream went up in smoke when fire ripped through a stable on their land killing a pet goat and chickens.
Simon Roberts, 37, recently bought a four-acre field off Delph Road, near Penycae, where he and partner Laura Edge, 23, and sons, George, 13, and seven-year-old Kyle could be close to nature and keep a small collection of animals.
Six months ago he built a stable, complete with tack room and a coop in which he was keeping a goat and a number of chickens.
But yesterday morning when he went to feed the animals Simon was shocked to discover that both wooden buildings have been torched and the goat, an eight-
month-old Angola male named Billy, and three young chickens, had been burned
to death.
Simon is convinced the blaze was started deliberately because three weeks ago five other goats which had been kept on the field were stolen.
He said: “I was absolutely devastated when I saw what had happened to the stable.
“I was there the previous night at about 8.30pm to feed the animals and they were fine then.
“When I went back there yesterday at about 9am the stable and the coop had been burned to the ground.
“Billy the goat and three of chicks were all dead.
“I had six chickens in the coop but the others must have managed to escape.
“There was also a cockerel there and that was badly burned. I took it to the vets but I don’t know if it will survive.”
Simon, who lives in Cefn Mawr and works in the property business, added: “I haven’t yet told my two children about what has happened but I know they will be devastated too.
“I bought the field so the family could all get out there and be close to nature – a bit like The Good Life. But what’s happened has just shattered our dream.
“This can’t be anything but arson because there was nothing in the stable which could have started it, like petrol or electricity.”
A spokesman for North Wales Police said the fire had been reported to them as arson and officers would be visiting the scene.