A LATE-NIGHT barn fire in Kingskerswell is being linked to a rock-throwing attack on a motorist driving along the nearby South Devon Highway.

Police are appealing for witnesses after revealing the two dramatic incidents may be linked.

A Torquay motorist was lucky to escape unhurt after the missile was hurled from the bridge at Maddacombe Road.

Laurie Harford had been making his way to Newton Abbot to collect his teenage son when the passenger side of his windscreen was smashed by the large stone, bits of which ended up in the footwell.

Mr Harford, who was ‘shaken’ by the attack, said it was fortunate that his passenger seat was not occupied.

The reckless incident happened just before midnight on Thursday. Within minutes firefighters from Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton were rushing to the barn blaze in Fluder Hill.

It was the third blaze of its kind in the last fortnight with nearby Compton being the scene of the first two.

Firefighters had to lay 12 lengths of hosepipe to the nearest hydrant to tackle the remote blaze.

Anyone with information about the rock attack can ring police on 101, quoting crime CR/104301/17.

Witnesses to the Fluder Hill incident should quote crime CR/104305/17 or CR/103949/17 for the Compton arsons.