A SEARCH was launched for a missing 23-year-old man after an abandoned vehicle was destroyed by fire.

Crews from Walney Fire Station were dispatched at 3.34pm on Sunday and discovered the smouldering vehicle in South End, after it had been abandoned overnight.

A spokesman said: “Firefighters were mobilised to reports of a vehicle fire at the Southend of Walney.

“It was abandoned burnt out overnight found smouldering.

Police confirmed that officers were called to reports of the Fiat van at South End on Sunday morning at 8.50am.

Inquiries into the fire led to a report of a missing 23-year-old man from Barrow, police have confirmed.

A spokesman said the 23-year-old was connected to the fire and there is no further investigation into this incident.

He was later located, and no further action was required.

The vehicle fire follows a number of deliberate fires in Barrow in recent weeks, including an arson attack in a children’s play park.

Fire crews attended the blaze which engulfed the playground on Stanley Road, Barrow Island last Monday.

The attack came just a week after Cumbria Fire and Rescue attended 23 deliberate fires in a single week.

This has led Barrow firefighters to launch the campaign ‘kick arson out of Barrow’ in a bid to crack down on deliberate fires in the town.