Donations sought after minibus destroyed by fire

An Essex charity has started a crowdfunding campaign after one of its community transport buses was gutted by fire.

The £62,000 Tendring Community Transport (TCT) bus was engulfed in flames while parked overnight next to another vehicle at Golf Green Hall in Jaywick.

The charity said after bingo ended at the hall at about 22:00 GMT on 30 October, someone used a can of petrol and set fire to it. Police are investigating.

Its chief executive, Pauline Mann, said: "Luckily someone spotted the fire and called the fire brigade, who arrived very quickly, saving the other vehicle. But our minibus was completely burnt out."

She said the loss of the bus had come "at a really bad time".

"We had just lost a vehicle two weeks earlier due to engine problems," she said.

"So, in a very short period of time, we have gone from 12 minibuses to 10."

TCT provides door-to-door accessible transport for residents in its specialist buses, including for food shopping, to attend groups and clubs, and for medical appointments.

Ms Mann said: "Because of this loss, we have had to cancel some of our group hire services - taking elderly people to a lunch club and elderly residents to social events.

"It is devastating, as this trip may be the only time someone leaves their home."

She added the charity was a "lifeline to many elderly, vulnerable people in the Tendring district".

"Many people that use our services would not leave their homes if they could not use community transport," she said.

"A new wheelchair accessible minibus costs between £75,000 and £85,000."

The blaze is being treated as arson by Essex Police and it has appealed for witnesses to get in touch.