THREE cars were dumped and burned on a single night by vandals.

Firefighters extinguished the trio of blazes in the early hours of yesterday morning and police are investigating whether the same culprits are responsible for all of them.

Carl Gleaves, crew manager at Bolton Central Fire Station, said: "We have had a couple of car fires overnight that look like they have been stolen vehicles that have been set on fire.

"I'm not necessarily saying they are linked.

"It's difficult to say there's a trend but it's coincidental there's at least two vehicles in the same night."

The first incident they went to was a blue Mercedes A class that had been set alight on purpose in Back Lilly Street in Halliwell at 1am.

Mr Gleaves said: "Residents said they saw two youths physically remove the registration plates from the vehicle before setting it on fire and police have been informed."

Bolton North Fire Station sent a crew to Land Rover that had been abandoned and deliberately incinerated besides the clubhouse of Breightmet Golf Course in Red Lane, Breightmet.

One firefighter said the vehicle was well alight when they arrived and the 4x4 was "totally gutted" to the extent the number plate and identifying features had burned off.

The final fire was at 5.30am in Armadale Road on the Ladybridge Estate where a Vauxhall Corsa, presumed to be green, was found in flames.

Mr Gleaves said: "It must be assumed it crashed into traffic lights on Belmont Road before continuing 500-odd metres down the road.

"It was abandoned outside a property and set on fire.

"The traffic signals were lying in the road."

Mr Gleaves encouraged everyone to be mindful of suspicious vehicles outside their property that could indicate something criminal is afoot.