ARSONISTS destroyed a garden in Prestwich after setting fire to a pile of rubbish, according to firefighters. 

The blaze in Guest Road at about 2pm today was started in the back street after some fly-tipped rubbish was set alight.

The fire spread from the dumped waste to some conifer trees in a nearby garden, and the blaze then grew quickly.

It almost set fire to an old coaching house, melting the guttering and causing minor damage, but fire crews extinguished the blaze before it could take hold.

Mark Anderson, crew manager at Whitefield fire station, said the blaze could be seen from the station when they set out.

He added: " We thought when we set out that this looks like it could be quite serious.

"The police were in attendance and this will be a matter for them now.

"I felt sorry for the people there as it had destroyed a large part of their garden pretty much."