Arsonists strike four times in one night in Portsmouth

Firefighters from Southsea were called out to four incidents in the early hours of this morning.

They first went to a motorbike that was on fire on land next to Lake Road, Landport, shortly after 1am.

They sent one truck and used one hose reel to extinguish the flames. The motorbike was 100 per cent damaged by fire.

The fire crew was then called to two motorbikes that were on fire in a car park in Cornwallis Crescent, Landport just after 3.30am.

Both bikes were completely damaged by fire.

The firefighters were then called to some rubbish, a tree and shrubbery that had been set alight in Charlotte Street, Portsmouth, near to Cascades Shopping Centre, at 3.30am.

All incidents are being treated as suspicious and the police have been informed.

A spokesman for the fire service said: ‘These incidents divert attention away from serious fires where people’s lives may be at risk. They are a waste of our resources.’

This spate of attacks follows suspected arson attacks overnight on Thursday and Friday in Gosport, which saw two cars and a van damaged by fire in Blackthorn Drive.

A police spokeswoman said the Gosport car attacks had been linked and that investigations were ongoing.

Eleven people also had to be rescued from a converted pub in Forton Road, Gosport, in a separate arson attack, which police are not linking, in the early hours of Friday morning when rubbish was set alight in the communal area of the former White Swan pub.

Gosport’s council leader Mark Hook urged people to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

A white Audi was also destroyed by fire near Hendy Ford on the A27 Southampton Road on Saturday evening. This is not being treated as suspicious and there were no injuries.