FIREFIGHTERS faced a desperate race against time to save a rare moorland habitat this week.

About 1,000sq m of Waldridge Fell, near Chester-le-Street, was on fire for two days.

The first firefighters, who were on the scene at around 2.45pm on Monday, had to call for reinforcements, as brisk winds fanned the flames.

By 5pm, six fire engines from across the north of the county were involved, along with two specialist appliances.

Waldridge Fell Country Park is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

It is one of the few remaining areas in the North-East of lowland heath, which is moorland at less than 500ft above sea level. The country park also includes broadleaf woodland and wetland or bog, providing a home for a wide variety of plants such as heather, bilberry, matt grass and tormentil.

In turn, the plants support animal species such as the weasel, vole, common lizard, cuckoo, meadow pipit and two butterflies - the Green Haistreak and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

A nearby wetland project, run by Chester-le-Street Federation of Environment Groups, is also home to the great crested newt, which is one of the most protected species in Britain.

Three hectares of the moorland were damaged by fire in July last year.

Officers remained at the country park on Tuesday to ensure the damping down operation had been successful. But flames were spotted again at around 1.20pm.

Andy Niven, countryside manager for Durham County Council, said: "The country park has been trashed.

"We think somebody has done this maliciously.

"Fire officers have told us that the fire was set off in several places.

"The fire has burned deep into the peat, which is what the heather needs to grow. It has done quite severe damage - some areas will take at least ten years to recover."