Appeal for information following suspected arson on bus in Prescot

Detectives are appealing for information following a suspected arson on a bus in Prescot yesterday, Tuesday 28 January.

At around 11.15am, the driver of the 10a bus was travelling from St Helens to Liverpool and came to a stop on Warrington Road and the junction with Smith Street after being informed that the upper deck was alight. All passengers got off the bus safe and well and MFRS attended to extinguish the fire.

CCTV and witness enquiries are ongoing and it is initially believed that the fire was started deliberately.

Detective Inspector Tony O’Brien said: “Thankfully the driver and passengers were unharmed but the sheer recklessness of starting a fire within a moving vehicle with multiple passengers is beyond belief.

“Our CCTV enquiries are ongoing and I also want to urge anyone who was on the bus and hasn’t come forward to do so, and we will identify those responsible and put them before the courts.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with reference 20000059685.