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A 5G tower was reportedly set on fire by vandals close to the M57 motorway.

Emergency services were called to Spencer’s Lane, in Aintree, shortly before 11pm on Friday to reports that the mast was ablaze and could be seen from the motorway flyover.

Flames and smoke could be seen coming from the large field where the tower is located as controversy around the new connection providers continues.

Fire crews managed to get the fire under control quickly and were photographed parked up outside the field shortly after the fire was extinguished.

A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue confirmed that crews were in attendance at the incident but were unable to provide any more details.

The fire comes as conspiracy theories about 5G and the coronavirus pandemic circulate on social media.

Just hours before the reported incident, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson blasted the theories as “bizarre”.

He said he was "amazed" by the amount of traction the conspiracy is getting on social media and that all scientific and government advice shows that the technology poses no harm to people.

Mayor Anderson also explained why workers tasked with maintaining the city's wireless network remained on the streets.

He revealed that he had even reported some tweets threatening to "tear down masts" to police.

Mayor Anderson said: "I'm amazed that there are people out there who saying things like this - that Covid-19 is somehow linked to 5G. It's bizarre.

“How can anyone contemplate relating putting a 5G mast up in Liverpool causes coronavirus? It's just a bizarre claim.

"The very idea that Covid-19 was created by 5G is patently nonsense. I've reported a tweet I received to police which said: 'If you don't halt them [the masts] Joe, we will.'"