A 62-year-old man from Harwich has been charged following a fire involving two police cars at the local police station.

A fire started in the two police cars in Main Road, around 10.55am on Tuesday, April 21 and prompted a large emergency services response.

Residents were evacuated from their homes and roads in the area were closed as firefighters battled the flames.

Police arrested a man shortly after the incident.

Steven Moran, of All Saints Close, Harwich, was charged with arson, criminal damage and racially aggravated abuse before appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 23.

He was remanded in custody to appear before Chelmsford Crown Court on May 21.

Chief inspector Lily Benbow, district commander for Tendring, said: “I want to thank the fire service for their quick response to the initial fire which prevented it from escalating further.

“I also want to thank the members of the community who assisted us in evacuating their homes and supported us during the initial period of this investigation.

“There is a fantastic community in Harwich and we really appreciated their support and understanding.”