POLICE are investigating a series of arson attacks which happened within a three-minute period in the Heywood Road area of Prestwich.

And in one of the incidents, the occupants of a house had to be evacuated because a blazing car was in close proximity to their home.

The first attack happened at 1.13am on Saturday (Sept 22) in Heywood Road and involved a Ford Scorpio which was parked in a driveway. Police said that the car's front end was set ablaze, causing extensive damage to both the vehicle and some nearby garage doors.

A minute later, fire crews were alerted to another blaze in the same road after a bundle of papers had been ignited under the petrol tank of a Mercedes box van.

The fire was quickly extinguished and no damage was caused.

And just two minutes later, a Renault car was set alight around the corner in Gilmore Drive.

The vehicle was parked close to a house and the heat generated from the burning car caused damage to the windows of the property.

The occupants of the house were evacuated while fire officers tackled the outbreak.

The three attacks are being linked and police investigations are continuing.