POLICE have launched a firebug hunt after yobs torched a budding driver's pride and joy.Ipswich teen Leanne Nessling had just ditched her L-plates and was looking forward to her new-found freedom.

POLICE have launched a firebug hunt after yobs torched a budding driver's pride and joy.

Ipswich teen Leanne Nessling had just ditched her L-plates and was looking forward to her new-found freedom.

But today the 17-year-old described as "pure evil" the arsonists who struck right on her doorstep and reduced her beloved Fiesta to a charred wreck.

The Northgate High sixth former had saved up Saturday job earnings to buy the £900 motor last September in anticipation of passing her test, which she did a fortnight ago.

A-level student Leanne also used cash from the proceeds of selling a horse she had lovingly trained since she was a little girl.

But all that time and money that has gone up in smoke thanks to some heartless idiot who fire investigators think threw a blazing rag into the L-reg car's interior.

"I can't believe it," said Leanne. "It was right outside my door. I'd only just passed and was looking forward to driving it about. My freedom has been taken away from me."

She revealed how hundreds of pounds worth of stereo equipment was left in the car to burn to a cinder.

"Nothing was taken. Whoever did it is just pure evil."

The drama began when a neighbour came and knocked on the door of their house in Angus Close early yesterday morning and told them the car was on fire. The neighbour had already called the fire brigade. Firefighters arrived and put out the blaze, then told them the cause was being treated as suspicious ignition - arson.

Dad Nigel Nessling, 46, said: "I think it's absolutely terrible. My daughter worked and saved to get herself that little Fiesta - it was her pride and joy, she absolutely loved it.

The photocopier engineer added: "She'd only passed her test two weeks ago and was just getting used to having a bit of freedom to get herself out and about.

"Then some hooligan comes along and decides to chuck a lit rag in through the back window and take it away from her.

"It makes me sick, absolutely sick. There's kids out there who don't know the meaning of responsibility or discipline."

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