POLICE say a speed camera was set alight twice within an hour.

The camera, on Midfield Way, on the junction with Chipperfield Road, St Paul’s Cray, was hung with tyres filled with newspapers and petrol and was set on fire on February 12 at about 7.30pm and again at 8.22pm.

Fire fighters from Sidcup were called to both incidents and a crew from Orpington were also called to the second.

Sidcup watch manager, John Broad, said the incidents could have caused great injury if someone had tried to remove the tyres from the cameras.

He said: “If a member of the public had tried to move the tyres, they were filled with petrol that poured out. It could have been quite serious.”