A van in Newark's been damaged in a suspected arson attack
Officers believe it to have been a deliberate attack
A van in Newark's been damaged in a suspected arson attack. A man was reportedly seen running away when the van went up in flames.
Officers are investigating the suspected arson attack in Swinton Copse, Boughton near Newark which happened at 9.25pm yesterday.
It is believed the blue Ford transit van was extensively damaged before a fire was started in the cab.
Inspector Neil Bellamy said:
"This was a disgraceful act of arson. Thankfully it wasn’t near to any properties, but it is an incredibly foolish thing to do.
"Several trees were burned and it's lucky that the blaze didn't spread out of control.
"We don't believe that residents are under any threat as this appears to be a targeted attack.
"Our enquiries continue today and we are asking anyone in the area if they saw anything suspicious or have any information that could assist our investigation.
"There will be a visible increased police presence as we work to reassure the local community."
People with information are asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 quoting incident 802 of 25 August.
Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Bryn Coleman, area manager of prevention and protection at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“Deliberate fires are highly dangerous. They put both members of the public and firefighters at risk and can cause considerable damage to the environment.
“Firefighters around Nottinghamshire spend hours trying to extinguish deliberate fires every year, taking them away from other emergencies.
“We are working with our partners, including FireStoppers, to tackle this issue. If you see someone setting a deliberate fire, please report it anonymously to 0800 555 111.”