A TORY councillor whose family home and wife’s car was targeted in a firebomb attack has been told police have closed their investigation into the incident after failing to trace the culprits.

Graeme Campbell, 51, was attacked in the dead on night at his property in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire.

The incident saw a window of his wife’s £45,000 BMW X2 smashed before being doused in flammable liquid and set alight.

Flames reached the house, destroying parts of their detached home before spreading to a neighbouring property in May last year.

The Conservative politician, who represents Avondale and Stonehouse, claimed he had been deliberately targeted because of a case he had been working on as part of his role with South Lanarkshire Council.

However, just 14 months after the incident it can be revealed police have wound up their investigation after failing to find any positive links to lead them to the criminals.

They have promised to act on any new information that may come to light in the future but have told Mr Campbell they have “exhausted” all current lines of inquiry.

Mr Campbell, wife Fiona and their teenage son were asleep inside the house and were unaware their lives were at risk from the doorstep inferno.

They were woken up when a passer-by banged on their front door to raise the alarm.

Mr Campbell said he had been targeted by an unnamed crime gang but promised to carry on in his public duties.

The incident was widely condemned as an attack on democracy and was even raised in the Scottish Parliament at First Minister’s Questions.

He took a three-month break from council work before returning in August, revealing he had considered stepping down and had received a phone call from then prime minister Theresa May urging him not to quit.

The politician, who was elected to the council in 2007 and then again in 2017, told how attackers had smashed a window in his wife’s car before dousing it in flammable liquid.

Speaking at the time of the attack he said: “When I realised, it was about 1.10am and heard some sort of bang and I can only assume it was the car on fire and something was exploding in the car.

“I then got up and said to Fiona that I thought there was somebody downstairs. Then we heard banging on the front door.

“It was a young lad who was coming past on the road and saw the car on fire. He was coming to warn us the car was on fire and it was getting near the house.

“We don’t know who that guy was and we are desperately trying to find out who he is to thank him because if it had been another 10 or 15 minutes then we would have been dead. We were in the bedroom above the garage and that would have went up in flames with us above it.

“The fire brigade was here really quick and as they doused the flames the police arrived.

“We did statements and then they told me it was deliberate. Someone has smashed the front left window of my wife’s car, put accelerant in and it has gone up.

“My car is a bit damaged, superficial damage only.”

Mr Campbell added: “The police said it was deliberate and I wasn’t really surprised.

“There was always a fear it could happen but I didn’t think anyone would attack a locally elected official.

“There is a small minority of criminal elements that want to cause mischief.”

Mr Campbell has promised to continue his work, he said: “I’m a bit stubborn and it has made me more determined – and you don’t give into bullies.

“Whoever did this is trying to bully me and get me to shut up and back off from a particular case. But me and Fiona need to talk about that a little bit more – if I walk away then I leave other constituents in a living hell.

“The only reason I ever stood was to give something back to the community and I thought I had something to offer but it just beggars belief why anyone would do this.

Mrs Campbell added: “We have done nothing wrong and will be out of pocket.

“Our neighbours have done nothing wrong and their house has been damaged as well. It is shocking.”

Police stepped up patrols in the residential area following the firebomb attack, but despite appealing for information and sifting through CCTV footage, inquiries have drawn a blank, although the file will remain open.

A police spokesman said: “All lines of inquiry into this matter have now been exhausted and the victim has been made aware.

“However, any new information police will investigate."