REPORTS of gunfire in the early hours of the morning had police rushing to the car park at University College Worcester.

But the sound of three small explosions came from a car, which is believed to have burst into flames due to an electrical fault.

Residents living in the streets around the Henwick Grove were woken at around 4am yesterday by the noise.

Calls were made to both the police and fire brigade, who attended the scene.

It took firefighters a matter of minutes to put out the blazing Peugeot 306.

The car was owned by a UCW student, who had just had a new stereo fitted.

He has told police that the wiring on the car needed work.

A resident living in nearby Himbleton Road said her daughter was woken by the sound of the explosions.

"She came into us when she heard the bang and we looked out of the window to see a car in flames. It was the only car in the car park," she said.

"My husband rang the fire brigade and they said someone had already called and they were on their way."