CCTV cameras film a dumped car burning as environmental campaigner Gordon Campbell-Thomas looks on helplessly.
The footage, captured on cameras at the Environment Centre, in St Nicholas Fields, York, shows children who looked as young as six playing on the car.
But, despite numerous warnings from Mr Campbell-Thomas that the vehicle could be a serious safety risk, City of York Council was legally unable to move it. Only hours after the warnings were made, Mr Campbell-Thomas watched the car go up in flames.
Fire fighters said the blaze was started deliberately.
The North Yorkshire service said it was working with local authorities to change laws to make it easier to remove dangerous abandoned vehicles.
North Yorkshire fire and rescue service spokesman Terry Glover said: "Burning cars is an extremely dangerous thing to do and sooner or later somebody will be seriously hurt or killed."
Another car was set alight in the area last night.
Updated: 11:47 Wednesday, August 28, 2002
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