Neighbours woken by 'explosion' as newly installed 5G mast 'destroyed by vandal'

Neighbours have told how they were woken by a "loud bang" as a 5G mast erupted in flames, having allegedly been targeted by arsons just weeks after it was installed.

Officers and fire crews were called to the scene in Garston, Liverpool, at 11.54pm on Tuesday night, after reports the structure was "allegedly on fire", according to a Merseyside Police spokesman.

Firefighters from Merseyside Fire Service extinguished the flames but a full assessment of the damage is still underway, the spokesman said.

The mast is situated between Rathmore Avenue and Brodie Avenue and was installed at the beginning of the month.

Lee Owens, who lives opposite and was in bed with his partner when the incident occurred, told the Mirror Online: "It was a loud bang. We both woke up and thought someone had broken into the house and when I looked outside the mast was smoking.

"Then the fire brigade and police turned up...there’s not much left of the box at the bottom of the mast," he added.

Leinad Yerots, who also lives over the road and saw as emergency personnel gathered, said: "We just drove past. Smoke billowing out.

"The metal structure all disfigured and bent. Fire engine had just arrived on the scene.

"Only constructed within last month, so brand new structure. Mad."

Jack Haliwell was driving up Brodie Avenue when he pulled over to take some photos.

He said: "I noticed there was a single fire engine and about four police cars surrounding the site of the mast.

"There was a cordon in place surrounding the site, most of the cabinet doors were open with smoke coming from inside with fire fighters standing around.

"It looks like the fires were extinguished by the time I drove past.

"There were a few cabinets that looked like they were on fire with the large one at the base of the mast looking like it had been vandalised - weather or not that was from the firefighters trying to extinguish the fire I'm not sure."

It comes after trade association MobileUK released figures this week revealing around 90 phone masts had been attacked during the coronavirus lockdown.

For months conspiracy theories have been circulating on social media platforms linking 5G to the outbreak of Covid-19.