DAMAGE believed to be in excess of £50,000 was caused in a suspected arson attack on a line of trailers at a Nelson factory.

Four of the articulated trailer units at Buoyant Upholstery Ltd, Oak Bank Mill, Hallam Road, were destroyed and another damaged.

Firefighters managed to prevent the blaze spreading to other units in the line of nine vehicles.

Sub Officer Lee Flattery said the vehicles were well ablaze when fire crews arrived shortly after 9pm yesterday.

He said: "The night watchman had seen youths playing about nearby. As there is no other source of ignition we think someone has been into the site and set fire to hessian sacking used for wrapping up furniture in the back of one of the trailers.

"The fire has caused a lot of damage, some of the units were loaded with the mechanism used in reclining chairs etc."

Sub Officer Flattery added: "It was a particularly stupid thing to do for someone to light this fire. In addition to the large financial loss to the company it tied up both Nelson pumps for more than two hours.

"Had there been another serious incident in Nelson fire appliances from outside the area would have had to be brought in."

A police spokesman confirmed they were looking into the incident as a suspicious fire. An early estimate of damage was in the region of £50,000.

There was no-one at the company available for comment today.