Heartache of farmer who watched on as fire started by arsonists killed his pet goats

Frederick Rylance, 75, was woken on Thursday, September 17, just after midnight to be told his stables in Mundles Lane, near his East Boldon home, were ablaze.

Within minutes, the fire had torn through the buildings, leaving it impossible to rescue his British Alpine goats Lottie – named because she was born on the same day as Princess Charlotte – and her daughter Gypsie.

Apache, a six-month-old screwball foal who arrived two days earlier, also died in the incident, leaving his owner distraught.

An investigation is underway by Northumbria Police, which believes the arson could be a case of mistaken identity.

On the night of Saturday, September 5, the stables were targeted with offensive graffiti and the fire follows social media posts protesting against a South Tyneside resident due to stand trial on a charge of rape.

Police say Mr Rylance has no connection to the case and is an innocent victim of the arson.

The goats were popular with East Boldon Primary pupils and sparked a search when they were stolen in 2017 and recovered from Sunderland’s Red House estate days later.

Today, the land owned by his family for 150 years has been cleared, with Mr Rylance, a retired milkman, left to grieve his pets.

"I’ve kept goats all my life, but that’s it, I can’t do it any more," said Mr Rylance, who is married to Patricia, is a dad to two daughters and has five grandchildren.

"I got a knock on the door by a man who had been shooting rats and he said ‘Your stable’s on fire’ and by the time I got here, in my pyjamas, slippers and gown, I could hear the animals, but I couldn’t get to them.

"The firefighters were fantastic, and the police, I can’t thank them enough.

"Somebody must know something, it’s such a cruel thing to have done, and of course the worst thing of all was the next day, I had to get a wheelbarrow to get them out, there was almost nothing left, but I found their metal tags.

"I’m chairman of the local history society, I judge the scarecrow competition, I’ve done a lot of charity work, I just can’t believe anyone would do this.”

Sergeant Phil Smailes said Mr Rylance was “absolutely distraught by what has happened, and added: “We understand that local communities can feel a sense of protection over the area they live and work in, but this kind of vigilante justice can have serious consequences.

“Not only can innocent people become victims of crime – as is in this case – but ongoing investigations and criminal proceedings risk being jeopardised.

“We would ask the public to think about the horrendous impact that this attack has had on the farmer whose livelihood has been threatened, with a number of animals having died in the fire.”

Anyone with information can contact the force via the Tell Us Something page of its website, call 101 quoting log 14 170920 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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