This is the moment a dull-witted arsonist sets himself on fire and runs head-on into a lamppost after torching a Mercedes parked outside a family’s home.
‘Shocking’ CCTV footage shows two men pouring petrol over a Mercedes saloon and a Nissan Duke parked on a drive in Netherton, Merseyside.
But one of the men does not appear to have thought out his crime, as he is engulfed in a fireball when setting the fluid alight.
Desperately trying to escape the flames, he fails to look where he is going and smacks into a nearby lamppost before returning to retrieve the container he left behind.
CCTV footage shows two men pouring petrol over a Nissan and Mercedes parked on a family’s drive in Netherton, Merseyside
After setting fire to the liquid, one of the men is engulfed in a fireball, seemingly setting himself on fire
The dramatic nature of the clip suggests the man burnt his hands as he scrambled to pick up the evidence.
The Mercedes was completely destroyed by the fire, but the Nissan was left untouched after the second man’s fire failed to ignite.
Describing the ordeal to the Liverpool Echo, a woman who lives at the house in question said: ‘One of them was obviously injured by the fire he started.
‘The police told us that they checked with local hospitals for someone who might have been treated for burns, but the checks came to nothing.’
The mother explained how she was in bed with her husband when the couple were woken up by a rustling noise outside.
She added: ‘The next thing we knew my husband’s car was on fire. We did not know it was arson until we played the CCTV back. I was sickened by the footage.
As the man (pictured) tries to escape the flames, he runs head-on into a lamppost nearby
As the blaze roars on, the Mercedes (pictured) is completely destroyed by the flames, but the Nissan remains intact after the petrol on it failed to ignite
‘This happened outside our family home. I think our shock has just turned to anger now. These people need to be caught.’
Police have confirmed the incident, which happened earlier this year, but said no one was been arrested.
A force spokesman told the Echo: ‘Officers were called by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service at around 4.30am on 14 June who reported they had attended an incident in which a blue Mercedes car was suspected to have been deliberately set on fire.
‘It is believed two offenders approached the car and used an accelerant to start the fire before making off on foot.
‘The car was destroyed in the incident.’
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0151 777 3055 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The Mercedes (pictured) was completely ruined by the fire outside a family home in Netherton earlier this year