A family today said they were lucky to be alive after arsonists sparked a fire at their home by setting light to a shed.

Leslie Brian, who lives in Harbour Road, Wibsey, yesterday blamed local youths hanging around a public footpath which runs past his house for the arson attack which nearly cost him and his family their lives.

The fire was deliberately started in a timber shed attached to the gable end of Mr Brian's terrace house in at about 2am yesterday.

Flames were already licking the front porch when his 17-year-old son, Carl, was woken by crackling noises outside and raised the alarm.

Mr Brian said it was just the latest in a series of attacks after youths vandalised fences alongside the path, which runs to Brearcliffe Drive, and offers easy access to properties.

"If there had been a stronger wind, we would've been trapped. The house has only got one door." said Mr Brian. "I'd left the shed door unlocked - it was being broken into that many times by vandals, I thought I might as well leave it open for them."

The fire damaged the side of the house and destroyed pots of paints, solvent and gardening equipment. Mr Brian had removed expensive electrical equipment for safe keeping.

He has now called on Bradford Council to maintain the path, mainly used by schoolchildren and youths, and re-fence the public highway.

He said: "It's diabolical what people are up to. There's no lighting, and things are getting covered with graffiti. The lady across the road has a little girl and she's worried in case she finds needles on the ground."

A council spokesperson confirmed the path was a public right of way but said that maintenance of the boundary fence was the responsibility of Mr Brian.

A spokesman for Odsal fire service warned that quite a few sheds and huts had been set on fire in the area and urged people to keep outhouses locked.

He said: "We want to try to get across to people to secure their doors at all times. This fire would have been into the house in no time - there could have been a serious fire."

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