Joyriders raced a car into Vale Park in Portslade on Friday night then torched it, sparking a massive blaze which lit up the skies.
Witnesses said they saw the cars racing into the entrace of the park at about 10.30pm, prompting calls to the fire service who quickly arrived and quenched the flames.
The charred remains of the silver BMW were so hot it could not be removed until the following day when the wreckage had cooled down.
A spokeswomen for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said: “At 210.32pm on 10 Marchk Hove firefighters were sent to Denmark Road, in Portslade, following reports of a car fire where firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used one hose reel jet to tackle the fire.”
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “We were made aware of a vehicle alight in the Vale Park car park, Denmark Road, Portslade at 10.32pm on Friday, 10 March. Fire and rescue attending. No casualties were reported.”
