Couple pulled to safety after arson attack

Malcolm Grainger and his wife were woken by neighbours who had jumped the fence and were banging on their windows.

They were shocked to see their disability adapted car, that they need for their son, in flames, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Mr Grainger said: “We could not believe it, the car was set alight, it was on my drive and someone deliberately set it on fire.

“I thought there had been an accident on the road when I heard the explosion.

“We are lucky that the neighbours woke us and the fire service responded quickly, it was spreading and it could have set our home on fire.”

Mr Grainger of Station Road, Blunham, added: “The car was a Kia Sedona disability adapted vehicle with a ramp for our disabled son.

“We need to find another car that is similar and we will have to replace the mobility scooter, sat nav and dash cam that were all also lost in the fire.”

Beds Police is investigating the arson attack which happened outside the couple’s bungalow.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We were called at approximately 2.55am on Wednesday to reports of a car on fire in Station Road, Blunham.

“The fire is believed to have been started intentionally and investigation is ongoing.”

Firefighters also attended the scene and were able to put out the fire before it spread to the bungalow where the retired couple live with their pet dog.

A spokesman for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue said: “We were called at 2.32am to a car fire on Station Road, Blunham.

“One fire engine from Sandy attended.

“There was one car aflame to the side of the bungalow.

“The fire did spread but firefighters were able to control it and it was extinguished by 3.04am.”

Mr Grainger added: “We are so lucky that we have some good neighbours who woke us up and got us to safety.

“They jumped the fence and banged on the window to wake us up, they helped lift us both over the fence because we could not get through the gate.

“The police and fire service have been very helpful and we are very grateful.”

l Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 24 of 9 November.