Arsonists strike on busy car park

TWO workers from the Royal Oldham Hospital finished their shift only to find their cars up in flames last night after becoming victims of an arson attack.

Firefighters were alerted to a busy dirt-track used as a makeshift car park off Westhulme Way, between B&Q and The Royal Oldham Hospital, at 8.50pm where they found two cars ablaze.

A fire service spokesman said: “The first vehicle, a Peugeot 206, had been set on fire. The heat and rage of the fire had caused the flames to spread to a car parked directly behind it.

“The first vehicle was completely burned out. The other, a Peugeot 407, had a fire in the engine and the windscreen was damaged.”

A public address announcement at Latics’ match with Sheffield Wednesday was put out as it was originally thought the owners may be in the Boundary Park crowd. However, the hospital staff returned while firefighters were still at the scene to see their cars reduced to smouldering wrecks.

The spokesman added:“It was quite congested with the match being on.

“Both of the cars are write-offs. All this sort of stuff does is cause grief.”

Football fans flooded past the wreckage on their way home from the game.

One said: “Local youths often hang around there near parked cars — especially on matchday. Smashed windows are commonplace. It’s not a safe place to park.”

A police investigation is under way.