Sabotage may have felled U.K. wind turbine

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BRADWORTHY, England, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- A 115-foot wind turbine that collapsed in Britain last week may have been sabotaged, and a second has been found toppled 18 miles away, officials said.

An investigation into the collapse of the turbine in Bradworthy, Devon, during a 50-mph wind last weekend discovered bolts were missing from its base, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

A 60-foot turbine was spotted Friday, "lying crumpled on the ground" 18 miles away in North Petherwin, Cornwall, authorities said.

The larger turbine was thought to have been collapsed by wind, even though it was designed to withstand gales as strong as 116 mph. The missing bolts suggested possible sabotage, investigators said.

The $400,000 Endurance Wind Power E-3120 50kW turbine was installed in July 2010 in the face of fierce opposition from local Devon residents who protested it would spoil the landscape.