The 1929 Austin 16 Ivor was burnt out along with a 1980 Mini van, a 1966 MGB Roadstar and a 1930 Austin 16 Burnham after a blaze was started at George Ogle's property at the Baragh Road area of Enniskillen.

Cost

Police said the damage to the four cars – as well as a Ford Mondeo and a Citroen Berlingo van also belonging to Mr Ogle – has run into tens of thousands of pounds.

The blaze started between 7.40pm and 11.45pm on Saturday when two vehicles at the rear of a house appeared to have been set alight deliberately.

It then spread to a garage containing a number of vintage cars.

Mr Ogle, who has owned the cars for 20 years, had been on holiday in Scotland with his wife Hilary when the incident happened.

The couple had also attended a vintage car show whilst over there.

Bitter

But their holiday joy turned sour when Mr Ogle's alarm company contacted him on Saturday night to tell him that the alarm at his home had gone off.

"I rang the key holders and they told me that everything was on fire," he said.

"We arrived home and everything was a mess. We took out what we could but it's just one of those things.

"It's now a matter of sorting out what we are going to do.

"It is up to the insurance company to sort it out."

Repair

The Co Fermanagh man also revealed that one of the vintage cars – the MGB Roadstar – had only recently been repaired.

He said that the cars had been affected by heat and water damage.

Police have appealed for anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area to contact them at Enniskillen.