Abandoned cars vulnerable to arsonists are being removed from Oxford's estates without their owners being notified because of fears that exploding vehicles could cause death or serious injury.

Steve Huckin and Judith Taylor of Oxford police area's crime reduction team, with fire service Assistant Divisional Officer John Lloyd

Police, working with the fire service and city council, are clamping down on car arsons in high-risk areas such as Barton and Blackbird Leys by having unlicensed or vulnerable cars removed from public land as soon as they are spotted.

The move follows growing concern about the number of vehicles which have been dumped, or where the owner cannot be traced and end up burnt out in Oxford.

More vehicles are being abandoned because of the cost of scrapping the car under environmental charging rules.

Assistant Divisional Officer John Lloyd, Oxford's fire risk manager, said someone could be seriously hurt or killed by a burning car.

As well as the risk of a petrol tank exploding, a burning vehicle's suspension can explode, showering debris into the air. Airbags also have an explosive charge which could be set off by fire.

The city council has the power to put a 24-hour warning notice on such vehicles. They are impounded if they are unclaimed, and may eventually be crushed. The vehicles are usually recovered the following day.

But police are so concerned by the blight of car fires they are using their powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to have cars removed straight away if an officer regards them as a danger.

Wrecks can be scrapped immediately but cars deemed of value will be disposed of only after attempts to track down the owner have failed.

Supt Keith Ringsell, of Oxford police, said joyriders were being given unwanted cars, or picking them up for a pittance, and then using them as shared 'pool cars' to tear around estates before being torched.

So far this month, there have been 15 cars set alight -- with only five reported stolen. Twenty-three abandoned cars were removed last week by the city council at the police's request.