An arsonist is being hunted by police after five cars were torched in separate locations in the Medway Towns overnight.

Firefighters from Medway were first called to put out a fire in a car in Honeysuckle Close, Weedswood, at about 1.30am and then found another car about 60 metres along the road in Larkspur Road, Chatham, had also been set alight.

When the crew arrived on the scene the vehicles were well alight and firefighters used breathing apparatus to approach the burning vehicles so they could put out the flames.

Then at about 3.30am the crew were called out again to reports of a car alight in Boxley Road, Walderslade.

This vehicle was also well alight when the crew got to the scene and as they were putting that fire out, another call came in to tell them there were two cars alight on a driveway about 100 yards down the road and the flames were spreading to the garages there.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service sent more crews, one from Strood and one from Maidstone, and spent about an hour fighting the flames.

In total four different crews were called out to tackle the fires and a spokesman for the fire service confirmed the incidents were being investigated by police.

One man who lives in Boxley Road, near to where the two cars were set alight on the garage driveway, said: “I had got up in the middle of the night to visit the toilet and heard this big bang.

“It was like a tin tray had been dropped on the floor and I wondered what was going on.

“I looked out of the window and could see the flames, so I dialed 999.”