TWO heavy goods vehicles were gutted after an arson attack at a Leigh works yard in the early hours of Monday morning.

Leigh firefighters were called out at about 2am to put out two wagons that had been torched at Joe O'Connell's Plant Hire in Westleigh Lane -- next to a petrol station -- after a neighbour raised the alarm.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage was done to the P and egistration vehicles, owned by Income Style, a Newton-Le-Willows-based firm, involved in excavation and site work.

The cabs in both wagons were burnt out and the fire was so intense, metal work covering the engines had melted.

Income Style co-owner Rose Hanton was away on holiday at the time of the fire, and was horrified when she returned home saw the damage.

She said: "I was shocked, totally shocked. It gave me a terrible feeling and it made the hairs stand up on my head."

She added they do not know how much the damage will cost, but work that needs to be done "will easily cost thousands."

Rose said: "The road wagons that were burnt will affect us badly. They were used to make our every day living."

A fire brigade spokesman said: "We used a jet and a hose reel to put out the fire. The vehicles were empty but the cabs were badly damaged."

He added the fire was probably started maliciously.

A police spokesman said they were treating the fire as suspicious. TORCHED: The burnt-out two cabs at Joe O'Connell's Plant Hire