A STUDENT was left heartbroken after arsonists torched her car as it stood on her driveway.

Debbie McCarthy-Maude was away on holiday with her son and mother in Devon when a neighbour informed her of the attack.

The fire was so intense that flames from the car shot up to the roof level of her Droitwich home.

Neighbours say if the car had exploded it could have ripped the side of her house out.

"My pride and joy is destroyed," said the 40-year-old mother. "It has broken my heart.

"I saved for so long to buy the car and I have no money as I am a student."

Mrs McCarthy-Maude, who is studying for a BA in history at University College Worcester, had gone to Torquay with her 14-year-old son Callum and her mother, Stephanie McCarthy for a four-day break.

"We were having a brilliant time then my friend, who was looking after my house, told me what had happened so I came back early," she said.

Mrs McCarthy-Maude said that she only bought the car in April and had been saving up for it since 1998.

Droitwich fire brigade was called to the blazing car at St Nicholas Street at around 2.30am on Thursday, October 18.

Police are treating the attack on the purple Vauxhall Astra as arson.

Mrs McCarthy's next-door neighbour Tom Halsall, said the fire could have taken "the side of the house out" if the car had exploded.

"The flames shot up before the aerial at the top of the house for around three minutes," said the 60-year-old.

Another neighbour, whose garden backs on to the driveway said she woke up to flashing lights.

"It could have blown my fence, shed and even the house down," said the woman who did not wish to be named.

Two firefighters used breathing apparatus and took around 15 minutes to put out the fire.

"Because the car was parked so near the house it could have set fire to it," said fireman Wayne Jajoda.

Police are appealing for anyone who has information about the incident to call PC Spencer Bradley at Worcester police on 01905 723888 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.