ARSONISTS left a trail of destruction across the borough in a spate of overnight attacks.

Between late Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday, fire crews dealt with five blazes, all of which were started deliberately, from Chirk to Acton.

In one incident a car was gutted at Caia Park and in another, the privet hedge in the front garden of a house in Acton was set ablaze just feet away from where the resident’s car was parked.

Just after 10pm a fire crew from Chirk was called to Station Avenue in the town where a refuse bin and its contents had been torched.

Less than an hour later a Chirk crew turned out to the children’s play area in nearby Chapel Lane for another fire which destroyed a rubbish bin just feet away from play equipment.

Just after 1am, a crew from Wrexham were called to put out a fire which extensively damaged the front end of a silver Renault Megane people carrier outside a house in Bryn Hafod on the Caia Park estate.

At 4.37am Wrexham crews made the first of two trips to Chester Road, Acton, where, in a spot close to Kent Drive, a section of grass at the roadside was set ablaze.

At 5.12am firefighters were again called to the same area where they found a privet hedge in the front garden of a house close to the junction of Box Lane well alight.

Ten metres of the hedge were destroyed and a nearby wheelie bin was damaged by intense heat and flames.

A fire service spokesman said at one stage there had been fears the blaze might spread to the occupant’s car which was parked on the driveway.

However, they had the fire safely under control within minutes.

The resident, who asked not to be named, said: “We were alseep in bed at the time and were woken up by the fire engines arriving. Someone had called them but I
don’t know who it was. Whoever it was I’m glad they did.

“The fire people dealt with everything very quickly.

“I know there was concern about my car but they put out the fire before it got to it.”

He added: “I don’t know why anyone would do this – it’s just wanton vandalism.”

A spokesman for North Wales Police said they had been made aware of all the fires and were investigating the burning of the car in Caia Park.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it could not comment on whether there was any connection between the fires.

But Paul Whybro, community safety manager for Wrexham and Flintshire, said:
“Deliberate fire starting ties up resources that could be saving lives elsewhere, and puts the lives of both the public and firefighters at risk.”

Anyone with information on these crimes is asked to contact North Wales Police on 101, call 0845 6071001 (Welsh) 0845 6071002 (English) or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.