Police are investigating the third fire in three weeks in the same neighbourhood - with the latest at school grounds.

The flames took hold at an outbuilding of Cheriton Primary School, Folkestone, yesterday evening.

It follows two other blazes at a construction site off Pond Hill Road less than half a mile away, where Taylor Wimpey is building new homes for its Shorncliffe Heights estate.

Two fire engines were called to the school grounds just before 5.45pm on Thursday and were there for nearly an hour.

A police spokesperson said: “Kent Police officers attended following a report of a fire at a building in Church Road, Folkestone, at around 5.30pm yesterday.

“The incident is currently being treated as suspicious and enquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances.”

A spokesperson for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. There are no injuries reported.

On July 24 a fire broke out at the Risborough Court section of the Shorncliffe Heights development.

Again there were no reported injuries and the cause was unknown.

On Saturday another blaze erupted at the Pond Hill Road area of the same building site.

Nobody was hurt but the fire service said that the incident was being treated as suspicious.

Police say that anyone with information, who is yet to speak to officers, should call them on 01843 222289 quoting the reference number 46/137838/24.

KentOnline has contacted St Martin’s Pre-School for further details on the incident at its premises.