An East Malling couple have been left with a hefty repair bill after their car was attacked with a firework at the weekend.

Ian Hardie and his wife attended a firework display in Sevenoaks town centre on Saturday evening.

The 53-year-old parked his Volkswagen Passat in The Drive - a well-lit residental street - at 7pm but when he returned some two hours later, he found it alight.

Mr Hardie, of Bradbourne Fields, said: "We went for a drink in The Sennockian before heading back to the car.

"We walked into The Drive, it's quite a nice street there was blue lights half way down. We thought it was an ambulance but it was the service at our car hosing it down.

"A lady who was visiting friends in the road saw the explosion and went back to her friends to get them to help. They doused it with water and extinguisher before firemen arrived, most likely saving the car from complete loss."

"Given the proximity to the fuel tank the consequences could have been horrendous" - Ian Hardie

Mr Hardie, who works as a company secretary, said the vandals somehow punched a 3cm hole in the rear bumper of his car and stuck the firework inside.

The explosion caused a fire to break out which melted the bumper. Mr Hardie has been given an estimate in excess of £1,500 to repair the damage.

He added: "Given the proximity to the fuel tank the consequences could have been horrendous and given the way the hole was made this was clearly premeditated and I wonder if any other vehicles were damaged in the same way that night."

The incident has been reported to Kent Police.

A spokesman said: "Kent Police is investigating a report of a suspicious incident in The Drive, Sevenoaks on 7 November.

"It was reported that a vehicle was damaged by a fire between 5.30pm and 9.15pm on 7 November. KFRS attended the scene and put the fire out. Police enquiries are on-going."

Was your car vandalised in Sevenoaks on Saturday night? E-mail details to messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk

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