'˜I'm scared daddy': Investigations continue into torching of van in Skegness

Paul Lucas said he woke up on Thursday to find someone had broken into his van, which was parked in the driveway of their home in Admiralty Terrace and close to a gas box.

Father of four Mr Lucas, 33, said: “I drew the curtains and could see the window of the van looked charred and there was a scorch mark on the roof.

“When I went down the seats had been burnt through.“

A full-time support worker for Linkage, he said he had only just started his carpet fitting business and was doing it for extra cash for his family.

But he said he had been left considering whether or not it was worth carrying on, because the attack happened just feet away from where his children were sleeping

“It’s really disheartening when this happens, but what really worries me is the effect it’s had on my family. My kids were terrified and my three-year-old was crying ‘Daddy I’m scared’.

“I’ve had to tape up the letter box because my missus was scared. I just don’t know who would do this.

“Something had been thrown over the van on Monday and I put it down to kids, but now I’m not sure. I always take my tools out of the van so there is nothing worth stealing.

“The van was parked under my children’s room and next to a gas box. My family have been left terrified. I don’t know what I’m going to do. At the end of the day your family come first.”

Mr Lucas took to social media to show pictures of his van but say he was still open for business. He posted: “Gonna be a wbile before i get some sample books but Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Lincolnshire Police have confirmed the incident took place overnight between Wednesday and Thursday between 10.30pm and 8.30am. Investigations are continuing and anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to call 101 quoting incident 82 of 23.