ARSONISTS have struck again on Portland and torched an islander's car.

A Citroen Xantia belonging to Castletown resident Melvin Bird was destroyed by fire.

Mr Bird, 52, said: "I am gutted - my car is totalled, completely burnt-out.

"It is very inconvenient for me as I have to get a lift to work or take public transport and I am not very happy about it.

"However, I am trying my hardest not to get wound up.

"I don't know who is responsible, but it does seem suspicious that there have been a lot of malicious fires around here recently."

Mr Bird, who drives recycling trucks for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, added: "I was always brought up to respect other people's belongings. So I would say to whoever did this that it was my property - why should you mess with it?"

The car fire is the latest offence in a blaze of destruction left by a group of vandals who repeatedly target the Hardy Block site, where the car was parked.

Critics have described the empty naval accommodation as a 'death-trap' and have asked owners Comer Homes to tighten up security.

Firefighters sent out warnings after they were recently called out three times in 24 hours to tackle deliberate fires that flared up inside the neglected buildings. PC Kevin Eames, of Dorset Police, has warned the finger of suspicion could point at children who persist in treating the danger zone as an adventure playground.

He said: "Somebody is enjoying setting fire to things in that area.

"The car was roadworthy and parked right by the entrance to the Hardy block. It must have seemed like a natural progression to blow it up in the early hours of Saturday morning.

"If parents know their children are playing down there they should say in no uncertain terms that this sort of thing is potentially life-endangering."

He said anyone with information about the car fire should telephone police on 01305 222222.