Was car deliberately torched in South Shields car park?

Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the incident.

Three fire crews and police raced to West Holborn, in South Shields, at 6am yesterday after receiving reports that a vehicle was alight in a car park.

Firefighters spent over half an hour at the scene, extinguishing the blaze.

Watch Commander Paul Hartley, from South Shields fire station, said: “We turned out at 6am to reports of a car on fire in a car park in Holborn Street.

“The car was totally destroyed by fire. There was nothing left – it was just a shell.”

A Northumbria Police spokesman added: “Police were informed that a car was on fire in West Holborn in South Shields. Inquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting the reference number 132/05/02/16.