An editorial assistant at the Cambs Times snatched her camera to record dramatic photos of a blazing car - even though the fire later destroyed her husband's car nearby.

Barbara Sutton, from Archant Herts & Cambs, was woken at around 4.30am as cars went up in flames outside her March home.

Residents watched in horror as the fire threatened to spread to nearby houses.

She said: "I was aware of a noise outside. I thought it was someone trying to break in to my car.

"I looked out of the window and saw a car in the road on fire and rang 999. There was a whole row of parked cars and I told them they would all go up and it could easily spread to the houses."

By the time the fire service arrived a Rover 100 GSi belonging to Barbara's husband, Chris, was also in flames and three other cars had been damaged by the heat.

She said: "It was just an inferno, if the fire brigade hadn’t arrived when they did, three more cars would have gone up. The smoke was really thick and acrid."

The incident was thought to be as a result of arson.

Two fire engines from March spent more than an hour at the scene and Cambridgeshire Council workmen attended to clear up the road.