Police are appealing for information after a truck reversed into a Hartlepool property and caught fire, where two men fled the scene.

A flatbed truck was reversed into the front of a property and set alight on Serpentine Gardens in Hartlepool at around 7.45pm on Tuesday, April 7.

The victim, who was watching TV at the time of the incident, heard a loud bang and an explosion. On opening the front door, he noticed black smoke billowing from the front of the vehicle and saw two men running towards a light coloured vehicle. They jumped into the rear of the vehicle and it drove off.

The men are described as wearing black clothing and black balaclavas.

The truck is described as white cabbed Ford flatbed truck and it had a cage on the back. Substantial structural damage was caused to the property.

Any witnesses to the incident or anyone who may have further information is asked to contact Hartlepool CID on the non-emergency number 101, quoting event number 54025.

Independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111, or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.