BEACH hut owners have been left fuming after six huts were torched along the sea front.

Dorset Fire and Rescue was alerted to the blaze at the beach huts at Durley Chine in Bournemouth near the seafront office at around 4.40am on Saturday morning.

Police are investigating the cause of the blaze which is believed to be deliberate.

Three crews from Springbourne, Westbourne and Christchurch extinguished the blaze using two main lines and one hose reel jet by 6.10am.

Beach hut owners were confronted with the blackened remains of their huts after being rung up by the seafront office early on Saturday morning.

Six of the huts were completely destroyed in the blaze and one left damaged, said fire-fighters.

On Saturday morning a police cordon had been placed around the scene.

Yvonne Maple, 70, of Victoria Park Road, Winton, whose beach hut was damaged, said: "My friend has lost her beach hut completely.

"Ours has been damaged. We are very upset although ours is not too bad. Why do these people do it?"

Jan Cannings, 53, mum of two, of Claremont Avenue, Moordown, said: "I got a phone call this morning from the beach office and told it had been burnt down so we thought we'd better come and have a look.

"I just want to cry. It's the summer and just when the family wants to use it. It's just pointless."

Grandmother Maria Cannings, 86, said: "I thought we were so safe down here."

A spokesman for the seafront office said that CCTV was set to be installed at the spot by the end of the year.

She added: "We haven't got a clue how it started."

A spokesperson for Bournemouth Tourism said on Saturday: "A fire occurred at Durley Chine in the early hours of this morning which resulted in six beach huts being damaged.

"Our security company, who were patrolling at Fisherman's Walk and in the Gardens at the time, raised the alarm when they saw the smoke and attended the fire along with the fire brigade. We are making every effort to find alternative beach hut accommodation for the beach hut owners over the weekend."

She added that the cause of the fire was under investigation: "It is currently a police matter".