Householders in a Burgess Hill street say they are living in fear because vandals keep torching their cars.

Residents of Denham Road, in Burgess Hill, have seen six cars gutted in the past three weeks.

Nobody has been hurt but concern is mounting that it is only a matter of time before one of the targeted vehicles explodes.

Some parents have even stayed up throughout the night to catch the culprits but the vandals have so far evaded capture.

Mother-of-five Tina Smith said: "We have had a spate of people setting fire to people's cars.

"Denham Road is quite notorious for not being a very good road in Burgess Hill. We feel because it already has a bad name, people forget about us.

"I do not see why I should be in the position that I don't want to leave my house.

"A lot of residents have had it up to the back teeth. This is a threat to people's lives and people's homes."

Mrs Smith and her husband Keith have five children, aged between two and 17. They said they are worried for their children's safety.

Mrs Smith said three vehicles were set alight during the Friday and Saturday nights two weeks ago and a further three were torched last Saturday, including her son's Ford Sierra.

She said: "My son's car, his friend's dad's car and another further down the road were set alight all one after the other.

"We are afraid that one day one of these cars will explode. It is so dangerous because there are lots of children on this street."

A spokesman for Sussex Ppolice said the incidents were being investigating and officers thought they were probably the work of youngsters.