AN ARSON investigation is under way after a torched car set light to the roof of a church.

Around 60 firefighters tackled the blaze at St Mark's Church, Talbot Village, yesterday.

Springbourne Fire Station manager Louis Minchella said that firefighters from every station in Bournemouth attended the incident.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus removed altar cloths and other flammable material from inside the church.

Other firefighters using long ladders and a hydraulic platform removed tiles from the roof to expose the fire.

Station manager Minchella said: "There was no cause for the car to be parked near the church and we believe it was set on fire deliberately during the night."

He said fire crews arrived just in time and worked quickly to stop the blaze spreading to the whole roof.

There was some smoke damage and water damage to the inside of the church.

Curate the Rev Penny Trimmer said: "It has been very traumatic."

She arrived at the church at about 7.45am and called the fire brigade immediately when she saw smoke coming from the church roof. She said: "It's devastating because the church was raising money to replace the tiles on the old part of the roof and now we are going to have to extend our efforts."

A funeral party which planned to use the church hall yesterday afternoon had to be relocated.

She said: "The fire is a great shame because we have had to cancel several events."

The fire was in the new part of the church, which is about 25 years old, but there was some smoke damage to the older part of the church, which is grade two listed.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said that they believed the vehicle to be stolen and are investigating. Police closed Wallisdown Road for about an hour while firefighters fought the blaze.

This is the second serious church fire in recent months. In November an estimated £500,000 of damage was caused at St Ambrose Church in Westbourne. No signs of arson were found and the cause remains a mystery. The church is now undergoing a nine-month restoration.