An arsonist set fire to three coaches in Salford.

August 13, 2012, 10:17 am

At about 4.05am on Saturday 11 August 2012, an unknown man searched a red VW Golf that was parked at the White Horse pub car park on Eccles Old Road.

He then went to three white Volvo coaches that were at the far end of the car park.

It is believed he tried to steal a TV monitor from one of the coaches before setting fire to all three. The resulting fire also damaged a fourth coach.

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The man is described as white and was wearing shorts.

Police are keen to trace any witnesses to the incident, in particular the driver of a Ford Transit Connect van that passed the pub at the time of the incident as well as a milkman believed to have been working in the area.

The coaches are used to take children on adventure trips and are often parked on the car park when not in use.

Detective Constable Jon Marsh, of Salford CID, said: “The cost of this reckless act runs into tens of thousands of pounds and all three coaches have been destroyed as a result.

“The vehicles are used to take children on adventure trips and they are the true victims of this crime.

“I want to hear from anyone who saw someone wearing shorts and acting suspiciously in the early hours of Saturday morning in the Eccles Old Road, Bindloss Avenue or Half edge Lane area.

“I am also keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and might not realise that they saw something relevant, in particular a milkman working nearby and the driver of a Ford Transit Connect van that drove past the pub at the time of the incident.”