The director of the van hire company whose vehicle was involved in the Finsbury Park incident has disowned comments by his son.

Richard Evans, the son of Pontyclun Van Hire director Len Evans, tweeted that it was a “shame” about the accident adding: “That van was a nice drive as well.”

Richard Evans added: “.. Glad I’m not running the van hire the police wouldn’t like what my answer would be.”

He continued: “It’s my Dad’s company. I don’t get involved. It’s a shame they don’t hire out a steam rollers or tanks could have done a tidy job then.”

Len Evans runs the firm in the Rhondda valley with four brothers.

He said: “I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms these ill-considered Twitter comments, which in no way reflect my own view or indeed those of anyone else in the family. The attack in Finsbury Park was shocking and cowardly. Together with all the staff at Pontyclun Van Hire, I am doing everything I can to assist the Metropolitan police in their inquiries.”

Co-director Paul Evans said company staff and directors were “horrified”.

He said: “My nephew Richard is not involved in any way in this company, and all of us here were horrified by his despicable comments.

“The directors have written to Finsbury Park mosque and all those affected by this crime to offer our sympathy on behalf of all our staff, and to thank them for their calm response.”

Meanwhile, former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Blair has said it would be “an absurdity” to cut hundreds of millions of pounds from the force’s budget after the recent attacks.