Arrests after fires and gun shots reported

Police cordons and vehicles were at the crime scene on Friday morning

People have spoken of putting their lives at risk to help neighbours as fires broke out across a town on Thursday.

Two people are in custody after two houses and several cars were set alight in Stockton during events police are treating as "linked and targeted".

One witness told the BBC residents had rushed to tackle the flames.

A 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of firearm possession and arson with intent to endanger life is in custody, along with a 27-year-old arrested on suspicion of affray.

Between 23:00 BST and midnight, a house and car were set alight on Faraday Drive before another house and car were targeted on Hawthorne Road, and three other vehicles torched on Myrtle Road.

Police initially responded to reports of a gun being fired on Hawthorne Road, but a spokesman for Cleveland Police later said no evidence had been found of a firearm being discharged.

Nobody was injured as a result of the events, which are now subject to a police investigation.

Cars were set alight on two residential streets

Five fire crews from across Teesside were sent to deal with the blazes.

A spokesman for Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service said the cars set alight in Myrtle Road and Hawthorne Road suffered minimal fire damage.

However, the car set on fire on a Faraday Road driveway was completely destroyed.

The house connected to the driveway had its front windows smashed and petrol poured in.

The petrol was soaked up at the scene, according to the fire service spokesman.

'Number of bangs'

A resident living close to the scene said he and his neighbours tried to make the area as safe as possible.

"I was sat watching the local elections kicking off and heard a number of bangs that I thought were someone's exhaust backfiring," he said.

"I looked out the window and could see the fire and local residents out.

"One guy came out with an industrial water hose to try and stem the flames, but there'd been another loud bang so [he] had to step back."

He was concerned about those trying to help, because "if that car did explode, there could have been catastrophic injuries", he said.

He added that emergency services arrived quickly and praised fire crews and police officers for their efforts at the scene.

Police presence

In the early hours of Friday morning, Det Supt Helen Barker, of Cleveland Police, said there was "a large police presence" in the area to provide reassurance to local residents.

"While we are in the early stages of establishing the circumstances surrounding these incidents and who is involved in them, I do believe that they targeted and linked to each other," she said.

The force appealed for witnesses or information, including CCTV and dash cam footage.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, senior investigating officer Det Ch Insp Stuart Hodgson said high visibility patrols would be carried out around the affected areas.