A WOMAN watched in shock as her car and garage burnt down in a suspected arson attack.
Hayley Bretherton and her husband Phil were asleep when they got a phone call from a friend telling them to wake up because their cars were on fire.
Mrs Bretherton could only stand and watch as her car and garage went up in flames after a huge fire broke out on Orchard Street on Monday (June 26) in the early hours of the morning.
Emergency services arrived at the street, near Bath Road, just before 3am, but forensic evidence was burnt alongside cars and vans destroyed in the fire.
Although police have recorded the incident as arson they are unable to confirm for certain or not.
READ MORE: ‘Loud explosions’ heard by neighbours as car and van destroyed in fire
Mrs Bretherton said: "My car was gutted, but it's been recovered.
"I was just in shock when it happened."
The doors and the roof of the garage had been damaged and Mrs Bretherton said her husband's car has been written off while hers has been recovered.
She continued: "We got a phone call from one of our neighbours and said 'guys you need to get out of bed, your car is on fire.
"It was really hot that night, so we had the fan on and didn't hear anything.
"But we are pretty grounded, they are just things but it's not ideal.
"You never think it's going to happen until it happens to you.
"It feels like a senseless vandalisation.
"We were angry when it happened but we're okay, our dog is okay and our home is okay and that's the main thing.
"We don't have an emotional connection to our things, but it is annoying and inconvenient.
"But fair play to the police, they have been up and down the road asking for more information and searching for ring doorbells.
"I was panicking about the tree, because if that went up in flames it could affect a lot of properties, it's a huge tree."
Loud explosions woke up concerned neighbours at about 3am on Monday morning (June 26).
They dashed to call 999 with the fire service receiving multiple reports about the large fire.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel