A large tree in the middle of Morden Hall Park was found alight last night in what firefighters believe are "suspicious circumstances".

Firefighters from Wimbledon fire station were called to the park at about 7.45pm on Friday [April 24] and found the 25ft high dead tree on fire.

The crew had to navigate the fire engine to the centre of the park before they could begin extinguishing the flames.

One firefighter said: "It [the tree] was dry as a bone and someone had obviously tried to ignite it."

Firefighters are treating the blaze as suspicious.