POLICE are investigating today after arsonists targeted the Old Stoke area of Ipswich destroying a caravan, fencing, mattresses and a wheelie bin.Four fires were deliberately started in the area over night with the first at about 11pm in Tyler Street.

POLICE are investigating today after arsonists targeted the Old Stoke area of Ipswich destroying a caravan, fencing, mattresses and a wheelie bin.

Four fires were deliberately started in the area over night with the first at about 11pm in Tyler Street.

In that blaze arsonists are believed to have used petrol to ignite a caravan.

Today, the owner of that caravan Alan Bailey said the blaze had left him fearing for his life.

He said: “I haven't had any sleep and have been up all night hoping this person won't come back.

“I can't think of anyone who would do this as a grudge and just hope it is a random arson attack.”

Fire crews had the blaze under control by 11.15pm but meanwhile were called to a wheelie bin fire in Brickfield Close at 11.10pm.

Another fire started in Rapier Street at 11.14pm, damaging two metres of fencing panels. That fire was under control at 11.45pm.

Elsewhere fire crews were deployed to Purplett Street after a fire started in mattresses outside a property at 11.22pm.

It took ten minutes to put out the fire.

Fire crews also tackled a car fire in Drake Close in Stowmarket at about 11.30am yesterday.

Firefighters in Essex today tackled a massive fire in Colchester.

The fire tore through a retail unit at the Cowdray Centre at 2am.

It engulfed a building measuring 40m by 50m and 15 applicances were called in to help extinguish the blaze.