Couple flee arson horror

Arsonists piled furniture and rubbish against the door of a Shropshire flat before setting it on fire.

Fire chiefs today said it was lucky nobody was seriously hurt in the attack on the home in Swan Lane, Oswestry, which happened just before 9pm yesterday.

Police are today investigating the blaze, which they have described as being of "doubtful origin".

Lydia Hayes, 23, lives at the property with her boyfriend Neil Curley. The couple were at home when the fire broke out. Both escaped unhurt.

Miss Hayes said they first noticed the fire when they saw smoke in the kitchen window.

"We ran out and went round the back," she said.

"Someone had set fire to a chair and thrown it in the back garden.

"We are mad about what's happened. We're not happy."

She said most of the damage was caused outside, and while the kitchen was fine, there was smoke damage inside the property.

John Davies, Oswestry fire station manager: "When we got there it was quite a well-developed fire in a ground floor flat.

"The fire spread from the back of the property. There was a chair, fridge freezer and bags of rubbish piled up against the rear door and set on fire.

"There was mainly smoke damage. They had four or five dogs in there as well. All the animals were okay and we checked the premises."

He added: "It could have been a lot worse than it was. It was lucky nobody was hurt."

A Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman added: "It was a fire involving a ground floor flat. There was damage to the internal part of the property as well as external.

"The police were contacted to attend."

Two fire crews from Oswestry and the incident commander from Shrewsbury were initially called. A further crew from across the border in Chirk was also called to attend.

Two hose reel jets and four breathing apparatus were used and the stop call was received at 9.19pm.

Police Inspector Alison Davies said the fire was being treated as of "doubtful origin."

By Suzanne Roberts