A FAMILY was in fear for their lives when a car was torched in an Ipswich forecourt metres from a baby's bedroom window.Today the grandfather is calling for the arsonists in the London Road blaze to be charged with attempted murder.

A FAMILY was in fear for their lives when a car was torched in an Ipswich forecourt metres from a baby's bedroom window.

Today the grandfather is calling for the arsonists in the London Road blaze to be charged with attempted murder.

Mother Gemma Short, whose windows were blown in by the blast, said: "Had the gas tank blown up goodness knows what would have happened. We could have all been killed."

Only good luck meant that her two-and-a-half-year daughter, Siam, was not asleep in the ground floor flat.

The torching, thought to be a revenge attack on a car not recognised by any of the neighbours, took place in the forecourt of flats in London Road at 6.30pm on August 5.

Police are appealing for witnesses and want anyone who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area to come forward.

But Gemma's grandfather, Jeff Stuart, called for urgent action, and said: "The fire service called the police who didn't bother to turn up."

A fire service spokesman said a total of 14 999 calls had been received about the fire.

A police spokeswoman said: "We have to prioritise police presence and when we are assured no lives are in danger, and officers are urgently required elsewhere, we cannot attend every crime scene immediately. An officer has now been assigned to the case."

She added that anyone with information to contact Sgt Stephen Paulton on 01473 613500.