Family's terror as house and car petrol bombed as they slept

A councillor has spoken of his family’s terror after their house and car were petrol bombed during the night.

Councillor Graeme Campbell, who represents Avondale and Stonehouse in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire, said his attacker was trying to kill him because of his work as a politician.

Cllr Campbell, his wife Fiona and 18-year-old son were asleep when the car and house in Fortrose Gardens went up in flames at 1.15am on Monday.

The family were woken when a passer-by knocked on their door to tell him their car was on fire after an explosion.

The blaze later spread to the house, destroying parts of the property as well as their neighbour’s home.

Cllr Campbell told STV News: “I heard a bang and it woke me up then my wife heard someone knocking on my door but I told her not to open it.

“I then went down and the person said my car was on fire and the car was just an inferno.

“The fire has spread to the front of the house. The front of the garage has gone. The next door neighbour’s house has also taken some damage.

“I’m just devastated by this.”

The Tory councillor, who was elected to council in 2007 and then again in 2017, believes someone was trying to murder him because of his work.

He said: “This was deliberate. This will cost tens of thousands to repair. There’s a lot of damage and we are waiting for the assessors now.

“It’s shocking someone is trying to murder us.

“When someone bombs your car you know someone is basically trying to kill you.

“Another 15 minutes and we would have been dead if we hadn’t got the fire brigade, who were incredible.

“I’m totally disgusted because it could only have come from my work as a councillor.”

A joint police and fire investigation is now being carried out.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “At around 1.25am on Monday, police were called to a report of a car on fire outside a property in Fortrose Gardens, Strathaven.

“Emergency services attended and fire had caused extensive damage to the car, as well as another vehicle in the driveway and the garage.

“The incident is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman added: “We sent two appliances after a car was found on fire outside the house. We left the scene at 3.15am.”