THREE cars were destroyed after a vehicle was torched for the second time in six days in a pub car park in East Sheen.

The arson attack took place outside the Pig and Whistle public house, in Sheen Lane last Friday.

Richmond fire crews spent an hour tackling the blaze which spread from a Ford Sierra and is believed to have been started by youths.

Crews had attended the car park six days earlier when four cars had been burnt out. It is thought the Ford Sierra had been torched on the first occasion but had not been removed. The fire is believed to have spread from the Ford to a Vauxhall Vector and Citroen Synergy, both of which were destroyed. A nearby Chrysler Voyager suffered less serious damage.

A spokesman for Richmond police said: "It is very rare we get this sort of thing going on. We do get abandoned cars but they are moved quite quickly in this area."

Police are monitoring the situation with extra patrols focusing on youths in the area. They want to question four youths seen near the scene, three white males and one white female.

The manager of the Pig and Whistle refused to comment.