A burning unoccupied car crashed into a line of other parked vehicles after its engine was started by a fire caused by arsonists early today.

Firefighters, who were called to Westcliffe Road, Cleckheaton, managed to stop flames spreading to the other vehicles involved in the shunt - and to nearby houses.

A Cleckheaton fire station spokesman said: "It was an odd one. Somehow the fire in the Vauxhall Cavalier started the ignition and it drove itself up the hill into the other cars.

"It didn't stray from the side of the road where it had been parked, it just kept in a straight line - which was lucky."

The incident happened at 5.20am.