A SERIES of overnight car and lorry fires caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Three lorries and two cars were set ablaze in linked arson attacks on Thursday night and Friday morning in Great Harwood.

The fires caused severe damage to two lorries at B&M builders in Waverledge Street and a truck on the adjoining compound of Grade A Carpets.

A Vauxhall Vectra parked in nearby Rushton Street and a BMW parked in St Hubert’s Road were also set alight.

Lancashire Police and Lancashire Fire and Rescue are treating the incidents as deliberate fires and are linking them.

Firefighters were called to the Waverledge Street businesses at 2am and were shortly afterwards called to the Rushton Street fire.

The car owner at St Hubert’s Roaddid not report the fire damage to her vehicle until discovering her burnt-out car at 8am.

Crews spent three hours tackling blazes and firefighters spent yesterday morning carring out investigations.

Duncan Gregory, who owns Grade A Carpets, said: “It’s just mindless and a real blow to my business. The lorry is completely wrecked and we were planning to exchange it for two new ones. It’s just pure luck it wasn’t being used at the time.”

The blazes are thought to have caused more than £40,000-worth of damage. Lancashire Police said a 31-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the incidents.