A FAMILY of five have been left homeless after an arson attack at their house in Bradford.

The mum and her four children – aged nine to 15 – were out having a meal to celebrate the youngest child’s birthday when arsonists struck.

Police and the fire service believe a lit firework – and possibly some flammable liquid – was pushed through a catflap on the back door of the family’s rented terraced house in Bolingbroke Street, Marshfields.

The resulting blaze badly damaged the property’s kitchen and caused smoke damage in the living room.

The family are unable to live in the property, although the landlord said he would start work immediately to rectify the damage.

Yesterday, police said they were hunting three teenage males in connection with the fire.

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The mum, 35, who did not want to be named, said: “It is really upsetting – I’m still in a daze. We could have been in there.

“I think it is disgusting. It is malicious. I cannot believe it.

“If my neighbour hadn’t seen it when they did, it could have been a whole lot worse.”

The children’s grandmother, Susan Iqbal, said: “I am 100 per cent glad that they weren’t in there. It is a scary situation that someone could do that.”

She added: “I am gutted, really gutted. Thank goodness my daughter and my grandchildren weren’t in there, otherwise I could have been going to the morgue instead.”

The property’s landlord, who did not want to be named, assured the family he would do all he could to get the house cleaned up and repaired.

He said: “I am replacing everything for the family.

“I got an awful phone call to say the house was on fire. My first thought was ‘I hope no-one has died or been injured’.

“A neighbour told me they thought someone had died.

“I came over from Leeds and I was panicking and shaking, because I knew the tenant has got young children.

“I am really upset. Me and my wife have only recently bought the house.”

The fire was started at about 7.45pm on Wednesday. Firefighters from Odsal and Cleckheaton were called to the scene and broke down the back door of the house to tackle the blaze.

Watch commander Mick Kilburn said: “We left the scene at around 9.30pm and put it into the hands of the police because we suspected arson.”

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “There are three suspects, all males in their teens. One was thought to be wearing a black hooded top.”

Anyone with any information that could help police identify the three suspects should call 101 and quote crime reference number 13160409677.