FIREBUGS GO ON THE RAMPAGE

FOUR CARS AND HOSPITAL BUILDING TORCHED

Firebugs left a trail of destruction as four cars and a hospital building were torched within hours in the streets of Paisley.

Mindless yobs caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the vehicles, which were all left completely destroyed in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Firefighters and police rushed to three different streets in the Blackhall area of the town between 1.30am and 4.30am to find the vehicles ablaze.

The cars were all located just minutes apart in Todholm Terrace and Glenapp Avenue, while two cars were set alight in nearby Hillside Road.

A building in the grounds of Dykebar Hospital on Grahamston Road was also targeted by fireraising vandals.

Paisley CID are now urging

anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious on the streets and surrounding areas to please get in touch.

Detective Constable David McIntosh said: “These fires caused extensive damage to all four vehicles and also caused damage to a building on the grounds of Dykebar Hospital.

“Given the timeframe and the proximity of all of these fires, we would ask that anyone who may have seen or heard anything in the areas in the early hours on Monday morning to please get in touch.

“We would also ask that anyone who has private CCTV please check your footage to see if there is any indication of anyone acting suspiciously.”

Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident in Johnstone, another car has been left completely wrecked after firebugs torched it while it was parked in a quiet street.

The red Ford Focus was set alight while it was parked in Auchenlodment Road, causing thousands of pounds of extensive damage to the vehicle.

Emergency services rushed to the rural area just before 10pm on Friday to find the car in flames following calls from concerned members of the public.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the burning car and after investigating the burnt-out vehicle, it was determined it had been set alight on purpose.

Police are now looking for any information to help trace who may have torched the car - which had been parked on the rural street by the owner from Cambuslang as he visited someone nearby.

Sergeant Barry McNaught, from

Renfrew police office urged anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area to come forward.

He said: “We received reports of wilful fire raising from members of the public and that a red Ford Focus was on fire on Auchenlodment Road.

“Officers attended at the scene alongside the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“Upon extinguishing the blaze, the fire service determined that it was deliberately set alight.

“The car has been damaged extensively by the fire.

“It is a very secluded area in a rural location and there are very few houses in the area and it is not an area which people tend to walk by on foot.

“However it is a well travelled area for people driving on the roads through the area, so we would appeal for any witnesses to come forward who may have been travelling on the road at the time and saw anyone acting suspiciously around a red ford focus vehicle.”

Anyone with information on either incidents can contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.