VANDALS committed a spate of arson attacks around Halliwell and Astley Bridge this week.

Police confirmed deliberate fires were set overnight between Monday and Tuesday when the driver's seat of a car was burned in Crumpsall Street, Bolton, a seat of a car was set alight in Old Road, Astley Bridge, a convertible car's fabric roof was torched in Park Avenue, Astley Bridge, and car was burned in Frances Street, Halliwell.

Firebugs also set light to a silver car parked in the car park All Souls community centre in Astley Street, Astley Bridge, and a wheelie bin was set on fire outside the Sharples News newsagents in Sharples Avenue, Astley Bridge.

In a separate incident on Sunday – which is being linked – a car was burned in Charlotte Street.

Liberal Democrat campaigner Warren Fox said: "I think it's disgusting. It puts lives at risk, it devalues our area, and threatens our safety.

"No one should disrespect anyone else's property in this way.

"The community are naturally angry at these attacks, they have raised awareness by sharing the post online.

"They want to know that those who have done it are going to be caught and brought to justice.

"We've had comments from the residents who have suffered from the attacks thanking us for raising awareness in the pursuit to catching the people that did it."

The spate of attacks is being investigated by Detective Constable Jon Ashcroft.

He said: "I suspect it's the same offenders and enquiries are ongoing."

A 16-year-old boy from Bromley Cross and a 15-year-old Astley Bridge boy were arrested in the early hours of Wednesday on suspicion of arson regarding the Sharples Avenue incident and the pair have been bailed until August.

The latest series of suspected arsons follows a BMW 4 sports car being torched in Cobden Street, Halliwell, at 1am on July 3.