INVESTIGATIONS have been launched by police after a car burst into flames near the home of a man whose details were on a leaked list of BNP members.

Firefighters and police officers were called to the blaze on Eighth Avenue, Windybank, Liversedge, at 10.40pm on Thursday.

The car was parked outside a house next door to the man on the list – but it is now understood he is not a member of the BNP.

David Exley, Kirklees organiser for the BNP, said: “I spoke to the police and they confirmed that a car has been firebombed last night and one of the lines of inquiry is the person who lives next door to whose car it was is on the list on the internet.

“I can confirm that the gentleman, whose house the car was outside, is not a member of the BNP and is not a current supporter of the BNP.”

Mr Exley said that, while the man’s name was included on the list, the BNP had no members on Eighth Avenue.

“That list covers everybody who has ever contacted our head office for whatever reason. It could be this man got an information pack, looked at it, decided it’s not for him and has thrown it away.

“But unfortunately somebody has irresponsibly put this list on the internet.”

The only BNP councillor on Kirklees Council, Roger Roberts, said he believed the fire was not connected to the publication of the list.

Mr Roberts, who represents Heckmondwike, said: “That kind of thing is a regular occurrence on that estate. It could be drug dealers or anybody. Even the buses have stopped going through there because they get bricks thrown at them. The car doesn’t even belong to a BNP member.”

Neighbours in the street spoke about the explosion.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: “I was just nodding off and heard this boom.

“ I looked out of the window and the car was on fire.

“My kids slept through it so I got them up, we jumped out of the back and ran. I honestly thought it was my house. I thought someone had thrown something through my window.”

She added: “The roof was blown off, the windscreen was blown off, there were bits of car in my garden.’’