THREE men armed with baseball bats who smashed up a van torched their getaway car in a Burnley street after it crashed into another vehicle as they tried to flee.

The men, who were allegedly wearing balaclavas, attacked a white Vauxhall Combo, using the baseball bats to smash it up.

But they abandoned their black Ford Focus in Cobden Street when it struck a blue Vauxhall as they tried to escape.

Witnesses said they returned around 10 minutes later and set fire to the Ford causing a small explosion.

Police are now appealing for information after the incident which happened at around 10pm on Sunday night.

Residents described hearing a smash and seeing flames “shooting up” into the air.

One said they believed the men had been wearing balaclavas.

She said: “We all came out into the street and saw a car come down and get stuck at the bottom of the road.

“We then saw it burst into flames. It went ‘whoof’. It just went up and then the petrol tank exploded.”

Another said she heard the sound of something being smashed.

“I thought my car was being bashed up. I looked out the window and the whole street were out. The van’s window was smashed,” she said.

“I think a car came off the main road, swung round and I don’t know whether they threw something into the other car (the Ford).

“There were some big flames. They shot up and after a good few minutes there was an explosion. When I went to bed, the car was still parked down there and the van alarm was going off.”

Another said someone “petrol bombed” the car.

“Somebody came and smashed a van up and then hit a blue car. They tried getting away, but stopped and came back after 10 minutes. The car was blazing,” he said.

Another said he was watching the football when he noticed flames outside.

“I stuck my head out of the door. It was properly on fire with black smoke. I saw the fire brigade putting it out and then I came back indoors.

“It was a shock to see. I don’t know what it was about.”

Another witness said: “I heard the car crash and came outside, but there were too many people.

“I went back in but came out again when I saw the flames out of the window. I thought ‘what was that?’. I thought the car had crashed and driven off, but it was at the end of the street.

“Then the fire brigade came and it took them about 15 minutes to put it out.

“It’s not normally like that round here. It’s normally quite quiet.”

A Lancashire Police spokesman said they were called about 10.30pm after being notified by the fire service.

He said: “They drove down the street in a black Ford Focus, got out the vehicle, approached a white Vauxhall Combo and used baseball bats to smash it up.

“They got back in the Ford and collided with a blue Vauxhall and made off from the area on foot.

“They came back in another car and set fire to the Ford Focus and made off from the area.”

He said nobody was injured and nobody has been arrested, but investigations continue.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 citing log number 1620 of July 10.