Hucknall: Arson arrest following van fire outside home

It was reported the van was broken into before it was set on fire

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack following a van fire outside a house.

Nichola Ince said she was woken in the early hours of Saturday by her son "screaming and shouting" after seeing his stepdad's van on fire in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.

Officers have arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of arson and theft from a motor vehicle.

He was released on conditional bail, Nottinghamshire Police said.

Ms Ince said on the night of the fire, she could feel the heat from her front door in Park Drive and feared the van would "explode", spreading the flames to the house.

"I keep thinking now, that could have killed us. We were waiting for it to explode," she said.

"I have never been so terrified in my whole life."

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews removed the sliding door to the van in their efforts to put out the flames.

The van, which Ms Ince's electrician husband Adrian had been using for work, was badly damaged with its contents destroyed.

No injuries were reported.

A spokesperson for the police said: "Inquiries are still ongoing into this incident, so we'd ask anyone with information to call the police on 101, quoting incident 83 of 17 February 2024."