Arsonists set fire to a car in St Neots the early hours of Boxing Day.

Firefighters from the town were called at about 3.35am to a blaze on The Common.

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters arrived to find a car on fire in a field. Wearing breathing apparatus they extinguished the fire using a hose reel and returned to their station by 4.50am.”

An investigation revealed the cause of the fire was deliberate. Anyone with information should contact police by visiting www.cambs.police.uk to submit an online report or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

In a separate incident, at 8pm on Christmas Eve, crews were called to a fire in Pertenhall Road, Stonely.

Crews from St Neots, Huntingdon and Sawtry, along with crews from Bedford in Bedfordshire, attended the incident.

Firefighters arrived to find a fire in the wall spaces of the property that had spread from the chimney flue pipe. Wearing breathing apparatus they extinguished the fire using hose reels and returned to their stations by 12.25am.

The cause of the fire was accidental.

A fire service spokesman said: “Please ensure that you get your chimney swept and brickwork inspected at least once a year, preferably before lighting it. This will help to prevent a fire spreading from the chimney flue to other parts of the property.”