A PENSIONER had a lucky escape after his Ombersley flat was deliberately torched on Friday night.

Roy Minton, aged 68, of Styles Court, Sandys Road, made his exit through the bedroom window of his ground floor flat when fire broke out at 10.55pm.

Police are treating the incident as arson after three other suspicious fires in recent weeks.

This latest attack comes less than a week after arsonists set fire to two cars in the same street. Two weeks ago arsonists torched a home in Sandys Road which spread to an adjoining property and then another village pensioner had his shed set alight at the end of last month.

Mr Minton managed to escape Friday night's fire unscathed. But police said the pensioner was fortunate he was able to leave the ground-floor flat.

After he escaped his burning home, Mr Minton rushed round to his daughter, Sandra Balwin who lives in the same road. He said: "I was just going to bed and could smell something. I opened my bedroom door but couldn't see because of the smoke. I said a few swear words and was quite angry about it but kept calm."

Sandra, his daughter helped put out the fire using buckets of water with nephew Martin Minton who lives in the flat above.

A police spokesman said: "The occupant was very lucky. He had smelt smoke just after getting into bed and discovered a fire in his hallway close to the front door."

He later added:"Extensive damage was caused to the front door and there was also smoke damage to the hallway. The origins of the fire are not yet known and we are treating it as arson."

Anyone with information is requested to call the police on 08457 444 888, quoting 596S/211103.

by LISA HERITAGE