A MAN suffering from burns was arrested and taken to hospital after four cars were damaged by fire at South Normanton.

Alfreton police are investigating the incident on Little Breck at 9pm on Wednesday.

Some nearby houses had to be evacuated as fire crews tackled the flames, which reached a BMW, Peugeot, Mercedes and a Rover.

Witnesses saw a man running from the area and alerted police.

Fifteen minutes after the fire was reported, officers arrested a man suffering from burns. He is being treated at King's Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield.