A FAMILY have spoken of their fear of being targeted again after their sports cars were torched in front of their homes.

Firefighters were called to Laxford Grove, Ladybridge, in the early hours of Saturday morning to reports that two Mercedes cars, parked on drives outside homes just yards apart, were on fire.

The occupants of the two homes, who are related. quickly realised the vehicles were on fire and were able to bring both blazes under control with the help of a neighbour with a fire extinguisher.

But they have been left shocked , traumatised and worried they could be hit by further attacks.

One of the vehicles was parked outside the home of a family of five.

The father, who did not wish to be named, said: “I’m annoyed and really stressed- and really scared as well.

“My daughter heard them and we got up and put some water on it. The other car has been damaged as well, the one near to the house.

“If they had gone up and nobody knew anything about it they would’ve been blown up into the house, so I’m really distraught after all this.”

But despite the trauma, he said he felt fortunate the fire had not been even more devastating.

“To be honest, looking at it, it could’ve been a lot worse, if we had been in our deep sleep , because they were intending to put both cars up and I wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere near them to put them out.

“Our next door neighbour came out with a fire extinguisher

And he added he could not put anything past whoever had endangered his and his family’s lives.

“I am worried about something else happening, with something like this, if someone can do something like that you don’t know what else they can do," he said.

He added that his three teenage children had been terrified by the attack.

“I’ve not slept all night really and three kids haven’t slept either.

“They are quite scared, they’re lost, aren’t they? They don’t know what’s gone on and why it’s happened.”

His wife said the episode had been ‘a nightmare’ but she was trying to stay strong for the children.

“We have got to get on with life, we have got three kids, but they do feel a little bit scared and we are worried something else might happen.”

Her sister-in-law, who was staying with her parents at the other house to be targeted said she has also been distressed by the attack.

She said: “It was a bit scary, you just think our family have worked all their lives and then stuff like this happens.

“We are worried about it happening again, actually. It’s a bit of an eye-opener when things like this happen.”

Both cars had their back windows smashed and accelerant was used by the attackers to

Fire service watch manager Chris Wilcox said it was ‘blatantly obvious’ that the fires had been started deliberately. The investigation had now been passed to the police.

Two men in hoodies were seen fleeing the scene shortly after the cars were set alight.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting reference 74 of September 9 or, alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.