Fifty cars were destroyed in a blaze started by arsonists at a Black Country scrapyard that caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Firefighters took almost two and a half hours to put out the fire  at Saltbrook Motors in Saltbrook Road, Cradley Heath last night.

Fire crews from Cradley Heath, Brierley Hill and Halesowen eventually brought the fire under control at 1am. They were called back to handle a second fire two and a half hours later.

The blaze was eventually put out just yards from a building where flammable liquids, drained from cars and vans when they arrive at scrapyard, are stored.

A third of the compound was affected.

Workers at Saltbrook Motors said someone had broken into the site to start the blaze.

Worker John Crockett, aged 61, was told about the fire at 8am. He said: “It is thousands of pounds worth of goods gone up in smoke. More than 50 cars have been completely burnt out. Whoever did it is pathetic. Someone has broken in through the fence at the bottom end of the site. They have knocked down six 12ft long scaffolding boards at the rear entrance to get in.”

The site was left strewn with cars mangled by the heat, and the ground was charred within feet of an outhouse with vats of  flammable petrol, brake fluid and oil.

John added: “It is just a blessing someone phoned the fire brigade. The heat must have been tremendous because cast iron and aluminium engines and gear boxes have melted.”

Chris Partridge, the son of the yard’s owner said: “We have had problems with people breaking through the fence.

“When they are just nicking stuff they can only carry so much, but when they burnt all the stock there’s not a lot you can do.”