IAN CLARKE Detectives said people could have been killed after a vehicle was deliberately set on fire in a car port under a house in the middle of the night.The owners of the four-bedroom semi-detached house in the small village of Brandon Parva, near Wymondham, their friends and three under-fives were asleep when the arson attack was carried out.

IAN CLARKE

Detectives said people could have been killed after a vehicle was deliberately set on fire in a car port under a house in the middle of the night.

The owners of the four-bedroom semi-detached house in the small village of Brandon Parva, near Wymondham, their friends and three under-fives were asleep when the arson attack was carried out.

Residents were woken by explosions and four fire crews were called to the scene.

Police believe a Volvo XC90 parked in the car port under the property was set on fire at about 3am on Sunday and the flames spread to nearby bushes and then ignited the nearby central heating oil tank.

The fire spread to the house, with a downstairs toilet being destroyed and the gable end wall, another ground floor room and the roof being badly burnt.

Experts have concluded that the house cannot now be lived in until repairs are carried out.

Fortunately no-one was injured, but police are treating the incident as arson with intent to endanger life and a full inquiry is underway.

Investigating officer Det Con Neal Carr said: “This is a very serious incident - it is not beyond the realms of possibility that someone could have been killed or badly hurt.

“This house is in an isolated location so whoever did this would have had to have travelled to the scene by car so we are keen to hear from anyone who saw any suspicious vehicles in the area between 1am and 3am on Sunday morning.”

Anyone with information about this incident should contact Det Con Carr at Norwich CID on 0845 4564567 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.