A SOUTHAMPTON car park is at the centre of an arson probe after a blaze in the early hours.

An investigation has been launched after two burning vehicles were found well alight close to Bitterne Station.

Today officers are appealing for witnesses as they continue their enquiries into the fire in parking bays in Macnaghten Road, Bitterne.

They believe punters at the nearby Station pub in Bullar Road could hold clues into what happened.

Shocked residents looked on yesterday as the blackened wreckage of a badly damaged Vauxhall Astra van was hoisted on to the back of a recovery truck.

Some motorists are now too scared to park in the bays which are used by longstay customers and located next door to the main station car park.

The white van and black Mercedes 4x4 were discovered in flames in the 24-hour maximum stay bays shortly after midnight.

Two crew  from St Mary's fire station arrived with a hose reel to put out the blaze.

The intense heat shattered the van’s rear window, blew a back tyre and badly damaged its back door which fell to the ground.

The Mercedes suffered minor damage and a plastic sheet was put across its near side back window to protect it.

Fred Carr, 31, who lives in Macnaghten Road, arrived home yesterday morning to find a patrol car guarding the street as officers carried out door to door enquiries.

He said: “It can be a bad area.

I’ve heard of cars being burned out nearby but never here.

“If my work van went up in smoke I would be in trouble. It isn’t just the van it’s tools and other things that might be inside.”

A 60-year-old woman from Bullar Road, who did not want to give her name, said: “Normally this is a nice area.

“Luckily we park around the back of the house so don’t have to use it.”

A motorist from Southampton city centre arriving there yesterday morning promptly reversed out of the bay when police told him they were trying to manoeuvre the recovery lorry in.

The driver, too scared to give his name, who also warned another motorist about the blaze, said: “It isn’t very good.

“The last thing you want to do is park your car up for it to be torched.

“You want to leave it somewhere safe where it will be in one piece.”

A police spokeswoman stressed it is being treated as an isolated incident and urged anyone at the pub or living close by who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area to contact them on 0800 555 111 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.