Arson suspected at family home

POLICE are investigating today after an arsonist attempted to set fire to an Ipswich home by pouring petrol through the letterbox.

The incident is believed to have happened early today and a police cordon remains around the house in Galway Avenue, in the town's Whitehouse estate, today.

Alex Smith, a firefighter who attended the scene, said: “We received a call to the house at 2.22am to say petrol had been put through the letterbox and set alight.

“We sent a crew from the Princes Street station, but the fire was already out upon arrival.”

No-one is believed to have been injured in the incident but police remained at the house overnight.

One female neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “Me and my mum were woken up by the sirens and watched out of the window.

“There were two fire engines and three police cars and when everyone got out they were all walking up and down the road with torches as if they were looking for something.

“The firemen went off after a while but there is blue and white police tape around the house this morning.

“It's only a small road so I think a lot of people were watching what was going on through their windows.

“We wondered if there had been a murder or something.”

Another elderly female resident, who also declined to be named, said: “It was very noisy and I did get concerned. I could see all the commotion going on.

“It makes you very wary and I'm scared to think that something like this has happened in my neighbourhood.

“The family have lived there for more than 20 years. They have had problems before - their front door has been smashed.”

It is understood that three generations of the same family live in the house - an elderly woman, her daughter and son, and her teenage grandson.

Police confirmed they had attended the incident but were unable to give any more details.

Detectives were visiting the house today along with scenes-of-crime officers, who were searching inside and outside the house.