AN angry Worcester man set a van ablaze after a long-standing disagreement with his wife's former husband.

Sheridan Harding drove to Nicholas Crook's city home at 4am while drunk, threw bricks through the van window and began a fire which burned out the vehicle and scorched the house's window frames.

Mr Crook, a builder, his partner and two children were asleep but were awakened by the noise and managed to get out safely, prosecutor Peter Arnold told Worcester Crown Court.

Harding, disturbed by a passing motorist, drove off but crashed his car in Worcester city centre and abandoned it.

He walked to his home in London Road but was arrested at 5.15am. The van was worth £200 and tools inside £500.

The 36-year-old admitted arson. He was ordered to carry out 200 hours community work.

Judge Andrew Geddes said he had put himself in grave danger of a prison sentence. "No matter what the provocation, your behaviour was completely unjustified," he added.

But the judge said Harding was a hard-working family man who had pleaded guilty.

Mr Crook had to flee through a side door on November 3 last year because of the closeness of the blazing van to the front of the house, said Mr Arnold.

The defendant told police he had been annoyed by a complaint from his wife about Mr Crook. His original plan had been to have an argument with him.

There was a history of problems between the two men over the children from the former marriage who now lived with the Hardings, said David Mason, defending.

He claimed Mr Crook insisted on taking them to work and one child had been injured in an accident on a site.

Since the blaze, the situation had calmed down. The Hardings had agreed to repay Mr Crook £1,200 maintenance money in compensation.

"The defendant had had quite a lot to drink, which sparked him to behave in this appalling way," added Mr Mason.

"Alcohol and anger got the better of him but it has been a salutary experience. He had an awful lot to lose for one rash, stupid action."