HALLOWE’EN was a night of disturbances in certain areas of Newport – including in Bettws, where a police car was burn out.

Bins were also set on fire in the Old Barn estate, in the St Julians area of Newport.

Gwent Police have said that one of their police vehicles – a Ford Focus – was deliberately set alight near Bettws police station in the early hours of Wednesday.

A spokesman for the force said: “The marked Ford Focus was empty at the time it was parked on the street. No-one was injured and it appears to be an isolated incident.

“We are currently treating the fire as deliberate and inquiries are on-going. Local officers are now in the area carrying out door to door enquiries to assist in their investigation.”

A spokesman for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said they are treating the vehicle fire as “deliberate” and confirmed they attended at 4.11am, leaving the scene by 4.28am.

Bettws councillor Kevin Whitehead told how the area was beset by fireworks being let off through the night.

He said fireworks could be heard until 5.30am on Wednesday morning and that rockets were being fired from cars and bikes.

“It is madness, I am so angry” he said. “This is totally devastating, they can kill someone.

“I think fireworks should be banned from general sale and just be used in public events.”

Claire Desmond, the supervisor for Martin’s - a corner shop in Bettws shopping centre, where the police station is - said she came to work around 5.30am on Wednesday morning to open up and described the police car as being “still warm”.

She said: “It’s a disgrace. You know that there will be some trouble on Hallowe’en but not this.

“We open up pretty early and when I came in I saw it and it was still warm. You could tell it was done an hour or so before.”

A resident in the flats above the shopping centre who wished to remain anonymous said thy heard noises outside for most of the night.

“But that is common here,” she said. “There were more police than I’ve ever seen in this area last night, it was insane.

“We saw the burnt out police car this morning and the kids heard a noise which we now believe could be the windows popping.”

Ronald Ford, who has lived in a flat above the shopping centre for 25 years, said there is still anti-social behaviour but believes it has got a bit better.

Mr Ford, 81, said he has placed a device over his door as several years ago, on bonfire night, he had a rocket put through his door.

He said: “There are kids out and about at all hours of the night. It’s better now than what it was but it still isn’t good.

“I have put something over my letterbox after I had a rocket thrown through a few years back.”

Bins were also set alight by fireworks in Buttermere Way, on the Old Barn estate, in the St Julians area of Newport. They are believed to have been set on fire at around 1am on Wednesday.

Resident Jordan Dennis, 27, said: “The fire could have gone onto the houses and been serious. How stupid can some people get.

“Thankfully the fire brigade got there in time.”

Anyone with information about the police car fire is asked to call Gwent Police on 101 quoting log number 62 01/11/17 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.