TWELVE cars worth £30,000 were severely damaged during a arson attack at a specialist Jaguar garage in Swffryd yesterday.

Fire crews were called to Sterling Jaguar Ltd on Swffryd Road, Swffryd at 2.45am yesterday where a number of vehicles were alight on the forecourt.

Crews from Cefn Fforest and New Inn fought the blaze with jets and using breathing apparatus for an hour and half., but 12 vehicles were left severely damaged, including nine Jaguars.

Gwent Police believe the fire was started deliberately, and are appealing to anyone with information to contact them.

Burnt out cars could be seen on the garage forecourt yesterday, and a number of vehicles appeared to have had their windscreens smashed.

Owner Dave Williams said although the business is insured, it is thought the damage is worth around £30,000.

He said the business had been targeted by arsonists and vandals on a number of previous occasions, and Gwent Police confirmed there were three other incidents reported between April and October last year, but no arrests had been made.

A spokeswoman said car components were stolen from the side of a garage building on April 13 last year and six cars were reported to have had their windscreens smashed on August 8.

Six cars were also damaged in a forecourt fire on October 16 2010, but Mr Williams said he was not aware of any reason why the business had been targeted.

Residents on Rectory Road, which backs on to Swffryd Road, said yesterday that they had been woken in the early hours of the morning by the sound of breaking glass and lights from the flames and emergency vehicles.

Michael Hollaway, 62, said: “The flames were quite high, lighting up my bedroom, and windows were being blown out."

Anyone with information about any of the crimes at Sterling Jaguar Ltd is asked to contact Gwent Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.