SNP’s big spending Holyrood campaign
Hunt for arsonists after cars are burnt
d o t h i s, t h e c a r i s c l e a r l y parked in a disabled space.
“I was in my bed when it started and I had the TV on so I couldn’t hear anything outside. But t hen my ne i g hbour c a me r unni ng down and started battering on my door saying the car was on fire.
“I thought she was going to come through the door and I got the fright of my life.
“She said she had heard what sounded like a small explosion and had ran outside. The fire brigade had already been called but by the time they arrived it was well up.
“We had everyone here, the fire service, the police and an ambulance had to be called for me because I took a turn.
“The car is a burnt-out mess inside. It’s completely gutted and a write-off.
“Th e f a c t t h e y u s e d a n accelerant suggests they meant to do serious damage.”
And Tommy says this isn’t the first time firebugs have wreaked havoc in the area.
He said: “There are blocks of flats nearby and the fire and police are out there every other week. It’s ridiculous.
“Not that long ago a family member nearby called me in a panic shouting ‘fire, fire’ down the phone.
“Idiots had put a bin against her fence and gate, doused it with petrol and set it alight. The whole lot went up, the fence, gate and shed.
“You just wonder what’s going to happen next.”
PC Laura Taylor, from East Kilbride police, said: “Two elderly victims had their cars set ali ght, one i n Wardlaw Crescent and another in Dar w i n R o a d . T h e r e was e x t e n s i v e d a mag e t o t h e vehicles.
“The forensic team carried out investigations and found accelerants had been used.
“The vehicles were c ompletel y burnt out but neither pensioner can give a n y i n d i c a t i o n a s t o why t hey were t argeted. It was completely unprovoked.
“These are despicable acts and both victims have been left extremely upset.
“We would urge anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area to get in contact with us.”
A spokesman for the fire service said: “We received a 999 call and sent a crew from East Kilbride but they found the car well alight.” Victorious Holyrood SNP candidate Linda Fabiani splashed significantly more cash in her election campaign than any of her rivals.
The Eas t Ki l br i de MSP s pent nearly £15,000, almost tr iple the Labour candidate’s spending and over s even t i mes more t han t he Conservative contender.
Labour candidate LizAnne Handibode spent a total of £5158.95 and Graham Simpson, who was elected Tory List MSP for Central S c ot l and, s pent £ 2000. 13 i n hi s campaign for the East Kilbride seat.
Paul McGarry, who ran for the Liberal Democrats, spent nothing across his campaign.
The candidates have to raise cash to cover campaign costs and there is no cost to the public purse.
Linda Fabiani praised those that helped during her campaign, adding they that the took nothing for granted.
S h e t o l d t h e Ne ws : “I woul d like to thank all East Kilbride SNP member s a n d s u p p o r t e r s who helped contribute to our campaign here in the town and get our message across.
“East Kilbride SNP helped organise many fundraising events during the campaign and the level of support was tremendous.
“We took nothing for granted here and worked hard for every vote.”
Graham Simpson noted that his focus was the Central Scotland seat in the election, adding: “Ours was ver y much a regional campaign and we were up-front with people about that.
“Our aim was to maximise our representation in Central Region and we more than achieved that with three Scottish Conservatives being elected.
“I am now enjoying representing t he whol e o f Ea s t Ki l b r i d e a nd elsewhere in the parliament.
“I will be setting up surgeries for after the summer and look forward to meeting people from the town at these sessions.” Linda Fabiani