Four in court charged with arson after Ferndale fire

The court heard the fire caused £650,000 worth of damage to three properties, their contents and a vehicle

Four people have appeared in court following a fire in Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Storm Truman, 19, Auryn Guster, 19, Connor Pitt, 23 and Alfie Wheeler, 18, from Weston-super-Mare, appeared in Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

Mr Wheeler has also been charged with possessing a knife blade or a sharp pointed article in a public place.

No pleas have been entered. They have all been remanded in custody to appear at Merthyr Tydfil Crown court on 27 August.

One house was badly damaged and others were evacuated following the blaze in Protheroe Street on 28 July. No-one was badly injured.

Magistrates were told the group had "travelled together to specifically target" a property believing two individuals "had not repaid a drug debt".

The court heard the fire caused £650,000 worth of damage to three properties, their contents and a vehicle.

Magistrates were told the case was so serious that it had to be dealt with at crown court.