Bin fire outside Keighley home 'could have led to tragedy'

A wheelie bin was set alight outside the front door of a house in Park Lane, while the property's occupants were asleep.

The alarm was raised by a passing motorist, who called the fire service and alerted the householders.

Youngsters were seen running away from the scene, at about 5am.

"The fire in itself wasn't serious – it was contained to the bin and there was just minor damage to the front door – but the consequences could have been a lot worse," said Keighley Fire Station crew commander, Neal Andrews.

"If the passer-by hadn't have spotted it, the fire could have spread to the house and we would have been dealing with a much more serious situation where the occupants may quite easily have been trapped.

"The actions of these youths could have had tragic consequences and I would urge people to think twice before they do anything like this.

"Also, I would encourage householders to try where possible to store their bins away from the windows and doors of the property to reduce the risks should this situation arise."