Several vehicles went up in flames after someone tried to steal one but set it on fire after it got stuck in a road in Chatham.

Firefighters were called out to Rudge Close, Lordswood, shortly before midnight last night after a Peugeot 208 was set alight after apparently crashing into a van in the road.

The flames quickly spread to the Vauxhall van and another Ford transit parked nearby.

It is understood the would-be thief had got into the Peugeot and had driven it a short way along the road before it crashed into one of the vans.

A crew from Rochester fire station were called out to put the fire out and said the Peugeot was completely destroyed by the flames.

The Vauxhall van had suffered 50% fire damage and the transit van had suffered 20% fire damage during the fire.

Another car, a Mini Cooper also parked nearby had also suffered damage to a wing mirror, a light and its number plate.

The crew spent about an hour at the scene fighting the flames and police are now investigating the incident.

A spokesman for Police said: “We are investigating a report of attempted theft of a vehicle and damage to other vehicles and inquiries are on going.”

The spokesman added no one had yet been arrested in relation to the incident.

Elsewhere in Roebuck Road, Rochester, another act of vandalism also happened overnight.

Residents woke up and saw a breeze block has been thrown at a Audi parked in the street.

The front windscreen had suffered substantial damage as a result.