Cars vandalised during blackout

Vandals went on a rampage damaging more than 60 vehicles while large parts of a town suffered an electrical blackout.

Police say a total of 57 cars and seven vans were vandalised in an area around Alder Road in Poole, Dorset, on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Tyres were let down, slashed or punctured and bodywork was scratched.

"We are keeping an open mind as to whether this vandalism was committed while Poole was having intermittent power cuts," said a police spokesman.

The scale of this crime is very unusual for Poole and were are taking it very seriously Insp Derrick Lillywhite

About 75,000 homes were left without electricity on Tuesday after a fire at the Nelson Stanley scrapyard on Alder Road burnt through high voltage cables.

The roads affected by the vandalism were close to the scene of the fire.

They were: Victoria Crescent, Uppleby Road, Albert Road, Victoria Road, Douglas Gardens, Alcester Road, Churchill Road, Livingstone Road, Shirley Road, Bassett Road, Burley Road, Chatsworth Road and Recreation Road.

Insp Derrick Lillywhite said: "The scale of this crime is very unusual for Poole and were are taking it very seriously.

"We are determined to find the person or people responsible for this mindless spate of vandalism."