An ice cream seller today claimed that an attack that destroyed his van was carried out by someone wanting to put him out of business.

Shavarz Hussain, who started his independent business last year, said he had received death threats two days before his £20,000 vehicle was burned out in the garage of his Bradford home.

Mr Hussain, 30, and his wife Parveen Nabi, 29, awoke when they heard an explosion. They saw the fire in the detached double garage was raging and threatening to spread to their house in Highfield Crescent, Heaton.

They quickly got their two children Aminah, aged four, and 14-month-old Haleema Sadia out of the house and moved their two cars parked in front of the garage.

Firefighters from Fairweather Green and Shipley stations spent about three hours putting out the blaze early yesterday.

It destroyed the van and garage, and the fierce heat shattered some windows of the couple's home.

A devastated Mrs Nabi said: "We were in bed, including my two little girls, when I heard a blast and I just thought, Oh my God, what's happened'.

"We quickly made sure the girls were okay and moved the cars. The fire spread so quickly."

The couple said they were in no doubt the blaze was deliberately started. Mrs Nabi said her husband had been assaulted last Friday while he was selling ice cream from his van and warned that Sunday will be your last day'.

Mr Hussain said he was also assaulted soon after he started his business last year. He thinks someone is trying to shut him down.

But the couple vowed they will not be intimidated and have said they will restart their business again once they replace the van.

Mrs Nabi said: "This was just an evil thing to do, we could have been killed in that fire, us and our two little daughters.

"My four-year-old daughter was asking if her toys were okay, especially her teddy. We have kept her off school because we want to talk to her, God knows what effect this is going to have on her.

"These people don't realise what effect their actions have on people. But, there is no way we are going to stop, this is our livelihood and it is a good business.

"My husband is a lovely man and is great with the children and chatting to people. We are going to show people that they can't get away with it."

Yesterday, shocked residents said the cul-de-sac was usually quiet and that neighbours looked out for one another.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said a car had been spotted being driven slowly near the scene of the blaze shortly before it broke out.

Fairweather Green fire station watch manager Peter Lau said it had been an intense fire and he confirmed it was being treated as suspicious.

He said: "The garage was extremely badly damaged, as was the van, and police are investigating the cause."

Police in the Bradford North division were due to speak to Mr Hussain about the alleged arson attack last night.

Anyone with information about the blaze should contact Bradford North helpdesk on (01274) 376259.