IF YOU are missing your mail this week, arsonists who dropped a firework into a postbox in Newington could be to blame.

Firefighters were called to Newington Road just before 9pm on Sunday to put out the blaze.

They tried to put out the fire with powder but in the end, were forced to fill the box with water.

Postie Peter Clifford, 47, from Ramsgate who has been delivering post for 31 years, said: "When I opened the post box this morning there was six inches of sky-blue powder in the bottom of the box.

"There were at least 60 letters in there and many of them were destroyed by either the fire or the powder. I think it's terrible as many people will have lost sentimental mail.

"I found a firework inside , it's called a torch."

Arsonists also destroyed a van in a field on Chalk Hill, Pegwell bay in the early hours of Monday morning.

The van was so badly burnt that police are finding it difficult to trace the owner of the vehicle.

A police spokesman said: "Police believe the vehicle may be either a Citroen or a Renault and are attempting to trace the owner.

"They carried out a search of the area and are investigating the cause."