POLICE are investigating the cause of a car blaze in South Ham after the vehicle was destroyed by a fire last night (Friday).

Emergency services were called to the car park adjacent to Russell Howard park at around 7.30pm last night.

Witnesses spotted firefighters tending to a burnt-out car, after a crew from Basingstoke was despatched to the scene.

A burnt-out Smart car, with a union jack vinyl on the boot and front bonnet, remains in the car park this morning, surrounded by a police cordon.

Photos show the devastation caused, with the inside of the vehicle completely burnt out – although the front of the car and all four tyres remained largely unharmed.

Basingstoke Gazette:

A strong burning smell still hung in the air, over 12 hours after the fire was extinguished.

Basingstoke Gazette:

A search of the vehicle’s registration plate shows that the car was taxed and passed its MOT as recently as September 2019, with both due to expire on September 1, 2020.

Hampshire Constabulary has now confirmed it is investigating the cause of the fire.

A spokesperson for the force added: “We were called just before 7.30pm and officers are now working to establish how the fire started.

“Anyone who has any information can call 101, quoting 44200030118.”

Hampshire Fire and Rescue service had been called to the scene at 7.25pm.

A spokesperson noted that the car was “severely damaged” by the flames and that one crew from Basingstoke had attended the scene, with one hose reel used to extinguish the blaze.