POLICE and firefighters were called to a pub three times in one day after arson attacks.

Crews rushed to The Castle pub, in Rutland Avenue, Castlefield, High Wycombe, just before 2pm, again at 8pm and finally at 9pm on Saturday.

Bryan Dugdale, station commander at High Wycombe Fire Station, said: "There was smoke damage to the function room at the back of the premises.

"It appears that somebody deliberately set a fire in the window frame at the outside of the building.

"The occupier had already tackled the outbreak with an extinguisher, so we just ventilated the building."

Mr Dugdale said the two other attacks were of a similar nature, but no one was hurt in any of the fires.

Landlord Andrew Czerwiwiec, who took over as licensee in May, refused to comment on the attacks.

The Castle has been the target of numerous arson threats and attacks over the past few years. Previous landlord Mohammed Ramzan claimed he received death threats before the pub was firebombed in July 1997.

He asked for police protection in September, after three Molotov cocktails were thrown through the pub windows.

Mr Ramzan told the Bucks Free Press in September that he was wanted out so the pub could be turned into an education centre for Muslim youths.

Wycombe Mosque had been interested in the site for the Muslim community, but condemned the attacks.

Marc Sanderson, of Chiltern Vale police, said officers were investigating Saturday's fires and possible links with past attacks.

A man was cleared at Aylesbury Crown Court last month of threatening Mr Ramzan and threatening to set fire to The Castle last year.

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