A TERRIFIED mother is planning to install a CCTV camera outside her home after vandals cut the petrol pipe on her car three times.

Deborah Aspin, 32, of Scotland Bank Terrace, Blackburn, is so worried that her car will explode while driving her children to school, she is saving to buy a state-of-the-art security camera to deter vandals.

The mum of four and police are clueless as to why she is being targeted in the attacks. An Automobile Association (AA) expert warned a cigarette flicked under the Vauxhall Cavalier could cause it to burst into flames.

And he said vandals were turning themselves into ticking timebombs by exposing themselves to spilled petrol and highly flammable fumes.

Miss Aspin, who lives with her boyfriend Peter McHugh, 38, and her children Mandy, 13, Stacey, 12, Nathan, 10 and eight-year-old Ashley, blamed drunken teenage vandals for the incidents, which began last year.

She is worried for the safety of her children, who were in the car each time the damage has been discovered.

She said: "These are ruthless people who are endangering lives. Each time the pipe has been stabbed or cut, part of a journey has been made before it came to light

"I wonder what these thugs would feel like if a sudden spark was to cause an explosion and maybe even a loss of life. How would they live with themselves?

"I keep myself to myself and I haven't offended anyone. It looks like someone has to get hurt before anything can stop them."

In the most recent incident, Mr McHugh noticed petrol gushing from beneath the car while driving the children to Witton Park County High School, Buncer Lane, Blackburn.

The time before, Miss Aspin was filling the car with fuel when a fellow motorist pointed out a puddle pouring from the car.

A police spokesman said police were not aware of any reason the family should be being targeted.

An AA spokesman said: "The vandals are putting themselves at risk because they'll probably spill some fuel on themselves, or at least be exposed to the fumes, which are highly flammable. In effect they're making themselves into a ticking timebomb.

"There is nothing on the car that could cause a puddle of spilled fuel to ignite. But if somebody was walking past and threw away a cigarette, which they frequently do, it could cause the fuel to ignite."