Elderly couple escape car blaze
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A COUPLE suffered a terrifying ordeal in Inverness after their car was set alight with them inside.
The family of George and Martha Stewart, from Lhanbryde near Elgin, say they were visiting family at Longman Caravan Park when they were attacked by a large group of people.
They claim that as the pair tried to leave the site their car was rammed down an embankment before being doused in petrol and set alight.
The couple were dragged from the blaze by relatives and bystanders and are now receiving treatment at Raigmore Hospital.
Mrs Stewart (61) is understood to have needed nine stitches to cuts on her face, while Mr Stewart (67) suffered 30 per cent burns to his body.
A relative, who was at the scene and did not want to be named, said: "As we tried to leave the site they rammed the car down an embankment, poured petrol on it and set it on fire.
"Myself and a few other people had to drag them out of the car. George was burning and I had to rip his clothes off him and throw him on the ground to put out the flames.
"They could have been killed.
"The doctors said that at their age, injuries like those can be life-threatening.
"I’ve never come across anything like this in my life."
Mr Stewart’s injuries are so severe that he is to be transferred to a specialist burns unit and his granddaughter says the family has been left shell-shocked by the brutal attack.
"My granny was unconscious from the crash and a few people helped to drag her out first," she said.
"My grandad has burns all over his body from his neck all the way down to his feet.
"My granny needed stitches on her head and my grandad is going to be transferred to St John’s Hospital in Livingston.
"Everyone is really shocked. It’s shameful.
"We are a really close family and we are all in shock at what’s happened. It’s like something out of a horror film."
Police Scotland are investigating the incident but so far no arrests have been made.
A spokesman said: "Police in Inverness were made aware of a disturbance in the Longman Caravan Park area of the city shortly after 10.30am on Sunday, August 19.
"As a result of the incident a man (67) and a woman (61) suffered injuries which required treatment at Raigmore Hospital. These injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
"The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service also attended at the scene to extinguish a vehicle which had been found alight at the site."
Detective Inspector Eddie Ross added: "Our enquiries into this incident are ongoing and officers are currently following a positive line of enquiry.
"Our initial enquiries suggest that this was a contained incident and there was no wider risk to the public.
"I would urge anyone who has information but has not yet spoken to the police to call us on 101, quoting incident NN9222/18. You can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to pass information anonymously."
