Three Smart cars worth a total of £30,000 were written off after an arson attack on a West Sussex garage forecourt.

Vandals set fire to paper under one of the cars at the Autochek Thakeham Garage in Rock Road, Storrington, today.

The fire broke out at around 5.45am and spread to two other Smart cars next to it.

Firefighters from Storrington and Bognor were called to the garage and put out the blaze by 6.15am.

The garage, which specialises in selling Smart cars, was closed this morning as staff cleared up the mess.

Zoe Stedman, who works in the office, said: "We also sell petrol from here, so the fire could have been even worse.

"Our cars sell for between £6,000 and £11,000. Unfortunately these people picked on three of the more expensive ones."

A West Sussex Fire Brigade spokeswoman said the blaze was being investigated as suspicious.