AN ice cream seller is offering a £200 reward to catch arsonists who set light to his van.

Melvyn Hobby, (pictured) of Fallow Walk, Cwmbran says his livelihood is now threatened as he awaits a decision by his insurance company as to whether the van should be classed as a write-off or repaired.

His two-year old ice cream van was set alight at around 4.40am yesterday. Mr Hobby said: "I was woken up by a neighbour who had seen the van on fire. The fire brigade was called and I went out in my dressing gown and doused the fire."

Mr Hobby said the van, which he bought for £10,000 and which was parked outside his home, has received " quite a bit of damage". A neighbour's car was also damaged by the flames. He added all the stock will also probably be thrown away because of smoke damage.

Mr Hobby who has been an ice cream seller for eight years, said: "At the end of the day this has put me out of business for a while.

"The van was worth quite a lot to me and it may be written off. The people who did this came well prepared. They used a can of petrol. I don't know who has done this to me, but who walks around with a gallon of petrol at that time of the morning?

"I'm pretty upset and gutted about this. At the end of the day this is arson. There will be a £200 reward available to those come forward with the names of the people who did this to me. The reward will be paid on conviction of the offenders."

Sergeant David Wallace, of Cwmbran police, said the incident is being investigated and said it was a deliberate act of arson.

He said: "The vehicle was set alight with the aid of petrol. Two people were seen running from the scene from the rear of the van, They were wearing dark puffer-style jackets.

"If the van had gone up it would have caused extensive damage to vehicles and property in the area."

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to contact Cwmbran police on 01633 838999.