AN ELDERLY couple from Newport have been left “shocked and upset” after their car was set on fire in the early hours of this morning.

Lynda Piper, 68, and Peter Piper, 69, who live on Hawthorne Fosse in the Somerton area, said they have “never experienced anything like it” after living together on the estate for 40 years.

Mrs Piper said she had decided to stay up late to watch television, and at around 12.30am she “heard an almighty bang”.

“I ran to the front of the house and immediately saw flames rising from the back of the car,” Mrs Piper said.

South Wales Argus:

The pair said they immediately called the emergency services, who were quickly on the scene.

“I thought ‘what the hell has happened?’ I was shocked and upset,” Mrs Piper added.

“Thank the lord nothing was in there and they set the back of the car on fire, because if they’d set the front alight the flames would have caught the hedge and who knows what might have happened.”

Mrs Piper’s husband Peter Piper, who was asleep at the time of the incident, said he can’t work out why anyone would want to hurt them.

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“A few years ago we had the back window put through, but in all the time we’ve lived here we’ve very rarely had an issue,” he said.

“I can’t get my head around why people would want to do this to us. We’ve done our best all of our lives and we mind our own business.”

South Wales Argus:

Asked whether the incident had changed her views towards the area, Mrs Piper said: “Not in the slightest, I’ve lived in Newport for 68 years and I’d never leave.”

A spokeswoman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At approximately 12:35am on Monday, February 24, we received reports of a vehicle fire on Hawthorne Fosse, Somerton.

South Wales Argus:

“A crew from Maindee attended the scene and extinguished the fire.

“A stop message was received at 12:57am. At this time our supposed cause is believed to be deliberate.”

If you have any information, contact Gwent Police on 101 quoting reference number 2000062317.