The son of a director at the van hire firm used by the Finsbury Park attacker has been arrested for allegedly saying it was a 'shame' it did not hire out 'steam rollers or tanks.'

South Wales Police have detained a 37-year-old man, understood to be Richard Gear Evans, the son of one of the bosses of Pontyclun Van Hire.

The social media comments posted less than 24 hours after the attack read: ‘Glad I’m not running the van hire, the police wouldn’t like what my answer would be.

‘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 good job then.’

Richard Gear Evans is the son of one of the directors of Pontyclun Van Hire, the firm used by the Finsbury Park attacker

The hired van ploughed into people outside the Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park, north London

The 37-year-old's social media comments posted less than 24 hours after the attack read: ‘It’s a shame they don’t hire out a steam rollers or tanks, could have done a good job then'

He was arrested on suspicion of writing threatening and abusive posts that were ‘likely to stir up racial hatred.’

The 37-year-old's father Len Evans runs Pontyclun Van Hire in the Rhondda valley, south Wales, 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.'

Darren Osborne, 47, is accused of ploughing into worshippers near the Finsbury Park Mosque in north London in the early hours of Monday. He is alleged to have hired the van from the company, 15 miles away from his home in the Welsh capital.

The firm's co-director Paul Evans said company staff and directors were 'horrified' by what his nephew had written.

The company staff were 'shocked and saddened' that one of their vehicles from Pontyclun Van Hire near Cardiff, South Wales, was used in the attack

Darren Osborne, 47, is accused of ploughing into worshippers near the Finsbury Park Mosque in north London in the early hours of Monday

The sickening incident was described as a 'deliberate and horrific terror attack on innocent people'

'I'd like to make it clear that my nephew Richard is not involved in any way in this company, and all of us here were horrified by his despicable comments,' he said.

'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.'

Evans works as a driver for haulage company Eddie Stobart.

A spokesman for the firm said: 'We can confirm that we are aware of the reprehensible remarks made by Richard Gear Evans on social media.

'These remarks in no way reflect the view of Eddie Stobart Logistics and we have taken immediate action.'

The comments and account profiles for 'Richard Gear Evans' appear to have since been deleted.

Pictured above are details of the vans available (left) at Pontyclun Van Hire in Pontyclun, South Wales (right), from where the van used in the attack was hired

Jacky Clark wrote in response to the post, which had been copied and shared on the social networking site, several times: 'I hope that someone draws this to the attention of the Police and to FaceBook for it is utterly disgusting.'

Jan Bailey wrote in the Stobart Facebook group: 'Richard Gear Evans is the son of the man who owns Pontyclun Vans, which the terrorist used to plough into Muslims today. Disgusting comments from him. He works for Eddie Stobart.'

Janet Monks wrote: 'Disgusting. Please do not think all Welsh people share his view.'

A spokeswoman for South Wales Police said: 'A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of displaying threatening abusive/insulting written material with intent/likely to stir up racial hatred.

'He is currently in police custody.'