Police are appealing for witnesses after an arsonist torched three lorries and a van at a yard in Seend on Friday night.

CCTV footage at G&S Patios on Bollands Hill, Seend, shows someone opening the door of a lorry cab and throwing something inside.

The items turned out to be firelighters and they all but burned out three lorries belonging to skip operator Mike Henley and a Transit van belonging to Barrie Poolman, the owner of G&S Patios.

Mr Henley, who runs a transport company bearing his name and has been parking his skip lorries on the site for more than 10 years, said he was devastated.

Mr Henley, 58, from Cornwall Crescent, Melksham, said: “They have stopped my business.

“I don’t know who has done this, but they really had it in for me.

“I don’t know when I will be back on the road. The insurance loss adjustor hasn’t even turned up yet.

“I can’t work and I can’t see me getting back to work for a couple of months.”

Surveying the charred wreckage of the cab of his Scania skip lorry he said: “This was my pride and joy. It was the best lorry I’ve ever had. It wasn’t new but it was perfect for my purposes.”

Mr Poolman said: “There is no question this was definitely arson. We’ve got CCTV footage of the bloke throwing something into the cabs.

“There must have been £50,000 damage done.

“It hasn’t affected my business but it has wiped out poor Mike.”

The incident took place between 9.30pm and 10pm on Friday.

The attacker wrenched open the doors of Mr Henley’s Scania, Daf and Isuzu skip lorries and Mr Poolman’s Ford Transit Connect van and threw in lighted fire lighters.

The van was completely burned out and severe damage was done to the other vehicles, although Mr Poolman’s son, Aaron, was able to put out the flames in the Isuzu before much damage was done.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to call Wiltshire Police on 0845 408 7000 or on the Crimestoppers anonymous hotline on 0800 555 111.