A FIRE that engulfed part of the Malvern Hills may have been started deliberately.

Police and fire officials remain suspicious as to the cause of the blaze, which raged from Saturday afternoon until Monday morning.

About 70 firefighters and 12 engines were called to a five-hectare area on the east side of the Worcestershire Beacon, following more than 100 calls from the public.

The situation was under control by 8pm on Saturday. Crews remained on the hills until Monday as small pockets of fire flared up again because of dry gorse and wind encouraging the flames.

The Salvation Army were on hand to give out refreshments to firefighters.

Malvern Sub Officer Saul Bolton said the weather, although warm and sunny, had not been hot enough to start the fire accidentally.

"To start a fire at this time of year you have to work at it. Nature has got enough problems on its own with hot sunshine and bits of glass. We don't need help from the public," he said.

A spokesman for West Mercia police said investigations were ongoing.

At around 4.30pm, while the fire was still burning, a paraglider lost control and crashed near the Kettle Sings caf. An air ambulance took the 42-year old man to Worcestershire Royal with suspected back injuries.