VILLAGERS in Summerseat are keeping a nightly vigil to catch a serial arsonist terrorising their homes.

On Monday and Tuesday (June 25-26) the firebug struck again and only days after an appeal by police for help in tracing the culprit before a life is lost.

The most serious attack took place on May 25 when a family in Cliff Avenue was forced to flee for their lives after a blaze gutted their home. The same night another fire was started in nearby Waterside Road wrecking a row of six garages and four vehicles.

Despite undercover and high profile police patrols in the area, the firebug remains at large after more than a month of causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to property and vehicles.

In the latest attacks two caravans and a Mazda car were destroyed in Railway Street in the early hours of Monday and just 24 hours later two cars went up in flames when a garage in Miller Street was set on fire. All the arson attacks have occurred around 2am. Pictured is one of the fire-ravaged cars torched in Railway Street.

Now, some residents say they are keeping a nightly vigil in a bid to catch the culprit while others are suffering nights of restless sleep. They say they are living in fear.

One, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the Bury Times: "People are living on a knife edge, wondering where the arsonist will strike next. The firebug has already put a family's life at risk.

"Some residents have made patrols of the village during the very early hours of the morning in a bid to protect their own homes."

The resident added: "Somebody somewhere knows who is doing this and is protecting him or her. This has to stop now before a life is lost."

Police have stepped up patrols in the area and Det Sgt Duncan Heywood of Bury's Operational Police Unit said he understood the concerns of residents but stressed that officers were doing their utmost to catch the arsonist.

"Extra patrols have been stepped up in the area and undercover surveillance is also taking place.

"In the meantime, I can only ask residents to remain vigilant and report to police anyone acting suspiciously in the area, especially during the early hours."