Police have launched an investigation after a Wiveliscombe woman's caravan was torched by arsonists.

Dorcas Thompson-Farley, of Southgate, Wiveliscombe, was away at a car boot sale on Sunday June 11 when a garage containing her possessions was set alight.

A fire crew was dispatched from Wellington to deal with the blaze at around 3pm, and are at first understood to have thought the fire was caused by a stored aerosol.

Ms Thompson-Farley had been storing possessions in a neighbour's garage when it was set alight
Ms Thompson-Farley had been storing possessions in a neighbour's garage when it was set alight (Tindle )

Following advice from the fire service, Ms Thompson Farley removed her damaged possessions from the garage and piled them up nearby so any residual heat could fully disperse.

However, just after 10pm the damaged possessions, and Ms Thompson-Farley's caravan, which was parked nearby, went up in flames.

Fire crews from Wellington were again dispatched, and after arriving on the scene determined that the fire had been caused deliberately.

Ms Thompson-Farley said her caravan had been broken into on Saturday, prompting her to store some of her possessions in a neighbours garage, located at the back of Southgate.

A green petrol container, thought to have been used to start the fires, was abandoned at the scene
A green petrol container, thought to have been used to start the fires, was abandoned at the scene (Tindle )

But the following day, that garage was on fire.

Shortly before the second fire erupted, Ms Thompson-Farley said she saw two youths cycle toward the garages, and return shortly afterward. Before long she could see flames rising from the garages.

She said: "Two boys cycled up through here while I was outside having a cigarette, and then I saw them cycle back past me. Then you could see the flames going up.

"One of the chairs that was destroyed had a lot of sentimental value, it belonged to my dead brother. They tried to burn everything down, there's a petrol can left in the caravan."

After removing the possessions from the garage, they again became targets of arsonists
After removing the possessions from the garage, they again became targets of arsonists (Tindle )

Police have launched an investigation into the incident. In a statement a spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "Enquiries are being carried out into suspected arson incidents in Wiveliscombe on Sunday, June 11.

“We were called by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to two fires near garages in the Southgate area. We were informed by them about the first at about 3pm and the other about seven hours later.

“Officers attended on both occasions and both CCTV and house-to-house enquiries are ongoing.

“At this time we believe the two incidents to potentially be linked.

“Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call 101 and quote reference number 5223137367 or contact us via our website.”