A CATERING firm boss whose "pride and joy" Peugeot car was destroyed in an accidental fire has warned others not to attempt to siphon petrol from the fuel tank.

Aziz Ahmed was attempting to clear the car's tank of petrol after one of his drivers accidentally put the wrong fuel in the diesel car.

But as petrol began spurting out, it spilled onto the road and began trickling down the hill.

What happened next is not clear, but Mr Ahmed believes a passerby may have dropped a cigarette which ignited the spilled fuel and destroyed the Peugeot 406.

Although only worth around £700, Mr Ahmed described it as his "pride and joy" because it features the company livery - Aziz Catering - and his contact number.

Mr Ahmed, who suffered burns to his hand, had decided to try to flush the tank himself after being quoted £250 by a breakdown firm.

"It was a stupid thing to do," he said.

"I thought £250 was a lot of money. I was just silly really. That car was everything to me. It wasn't worth anything but it was my pride and joy."

Mr Ahmed, whose business is based at the Carlisle Business Centre in Bradford, said his advice to other drivers was not to attempt to siphon petrol.

"Leave it to the experts," he said.

The fire happened at around 3pm on Tuesday in Lynthorne Road, off Keighley Road at Frizinghall, Bradford.

A resident who dialled 999 said: "There were serious flames coming from the car. It was like something on Grand Theft Auto. My dad quickly moved his Jaguar away from the flames. Luckily no-one was seriously hurt."

A fire service spokesman said it was thought that a discarded cigarette had caused the fire. A crew from Bradford was sent to deal with the blaze.