Car burned out next to kids’ playground near Coalisland

The vehicle is the fifth to have been deliberately destroyed by fire in the wider Coalisland district since September, according to SDLP representative Malachy Quinn.

The car, which was completely gutted, was abandoned just metres from a children’s playpark at the Washingbay Centre.

Cllr Quinn believes this is the fifth such incident to have occurred in the locality over three months, however, a police spokesperson said they were aware of only three - at Bellavale Terrace, at Stewartstown Road and at Washingbay Road.

The PSNI spokesman said police need to receive reports of car crime so that they can be investigated fully.

Those behind the latest incident “have no regard” for their communities, Cllr Quinn continued, adding: “As you can see from the picture there is a lot of broken glass and twisted metal laying on the ground and it would be very easy for a small child to hurt themselves very badly, especially at this time of year when children are down with new bikes and toys for Christmas.”