POLICE are hunting arsonists who have brought fear to residents and shop owners in a single street in a Kent town.

Since last Saturday, six fires have been started in St George’s Avenue at Sheerness, destroying a transit van, ruining a community centre and causing damage to other property.

The family of four-year-old Esme Targar said she is lucky to be alive after flames from her father's burning van came perilously close to her bedroom window.

The vehicle went up in flames in the driveway, just metres away from the sleeping tot.

The first blaze was spotted at 5.45am on Saturday when resident Chris Tomlin noticed a waste paper trailer alight outside Bob McCall’s home.

Moments later, he saw the transit van belonging to Esme’s father Mat on fire as well. He attempted to tackle the fires but was beaten back by the heat and flames.

Firefighters were called to the scene and as they were putting the fires out, a third blaze was reported in a wheelie bin outside the nearby Londis store.

Minutes later, police who had arrived to investigate, spotted burning material in the petrol tank of a Ford Fiesta outside St George’s Court.

The terror returned at 12.50am on Tuesday when firefighters were called to a report that the Londis store was alight.

Flames from the blazed had licked the back of the building, causing extensive damage to the Sheppey Youth Action group’s headquarters which is based above the store.

An hour later the Ford Fiesta – torched on Saturday – was reported to be on fire again.

Detectives, who have launched a hunt for the arsonists, are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing two youths in the street at the time of the Saturday fires and also a man, possibly in a brown jacket, on a bicycle.

Police have been carrying out house-to-house inquiries around St George’s Avenue.

Police spokeswoman Helen Bell said: “We are looking for two youths seen in St George’s Avenue when Kent Fire and Rescue arrived, and a male seen on a bicycle wearing a brown jacket, but want to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious.”

Anyone with information is asked to telephone Kent Police on 01795 477055 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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