A MOBILITY scooter was totally destroyed, while another one nearby and a moped were badly damaged in a suspected arson attack.

Kelvin Kent, 61, who has a heart condition, and his wife, Becky, 32, have condemned the perpetrators as police investigate the incident in Wellesley Street, Taunton, shortly after 5am today.

Flames shot up as high as the roof of the two-storey block of flats after a mobility scooter belonging to their neighbour was set alight.

The heat caused Mr Kent's own £500 scooter and Mrs Kent's £250 moped to melt, while brickwork was also damaged.

Neighbours tried to put the flames out with buckets of water, but the blaze got out of hand and firefighters were called to deal with the incident.

Mr Kent's  said: "It's pretty despicable to do something like this - I'm disabled and this is sheltered housing, where people are supposed to be safe.

"I was woken up by a neighbour, but I was disorientated because of the time.

"She was hammering on the door shouting, 'There's a fire'.

"The flames were a huge ball - whoever did it must have used an accelerant to set the scooter on fire.

"We were throwing buckets of water at it, but it started to spread towards the building and started to creep up the building."

Mrs Kent said: "Whoever did this potentially put the lives of the people in the flats in danger."

Police have taped off an area outside the flats and have been interviewing the victims.

A MOBILITY scooter has been destroyed and two others were damaged in an arson attack this morning (Friday, June 17).

A fire crew was called to reports of a fire outside a home in Wellesley Street, Taunton, shortly after 5am.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "On arrival crews confirmed a mobility scooter was well alight, so set to work using a hose reel jet.

"The fire completely destroyed the mobility scooter but also spread to a second mobility scooter and a road scooter.

"A nearby property also suffered fire damage to plaster, cladding and an external cupboard."

He added that police have been informed of the incident as the fire was started deliberately.