Coach boss Edward Young claims police have identified two youngsters suspected of an arson attack that destroyed two buses and a lorry and caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage. Mr Young says: “The police are dealing with the culprits that have been identified now.”
However, Cambridgeshire police has confirmed no arrests have been made in connection with last week’s blaze at Mr Young’s Haddenham depot.
Checking their records, a police spokesperson told CambsNews today: “A crime has been raised and an investigation is ongoing. It doesn’t look as though there have been any arrests at this stage”.
Mr Young has posted a thank you message to villagers and friends “for all of the kindness shown and volume of messages of support since the devastating arson attack – it’s very overwhelming the kindness shown.”
He also thanked Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and added “they are real life savers and I’ll be forever grateful”.
Last Thursday evening, just after 6pm, fire crews from Cottenham, Ely, Chatteris and Soham were called to tackle the fire at Lode Way, Haddenham.
On Cottenham community fire service Facebook page, a post said: “Upon arrival crews were faced with two buses and one lorry well alight. Using hose reels and jets we successfully extinguished the fire. We then returned to our stations at 21:00, followed by a reinspection at midnight.”
Mr Young has video evidence of two youths who he believes “jumped the ditch; you can see grass trodden down the back of our poplar trees by Chamber’s land”.
He claims one of the youths “is seen pulling something out of his trousers looking suspicious… then by 17:25 a caravan door has been opened down the back field then by approximately 18:00 a coach was fully on fire nearby.
“I risked my life trying to put it out so it didn’t spread further but I couldn’t hold it back.”