Two young girls escape injury after arson attack at family home

The incident happened in the Fairfield court area.

A car was set alight and the downstairs windows of the house were smashed.

PSNI Inspector Savage said: “We received a report around 1.30am that all the downstairs windows had been smashed at this property and that a car outside it had been set alight.

“Burning fuel escaped from the vehicle and ran towards the house.

“However, it did not reach the property. The fire service attended and put out the fire and we are treating this incident as arson.

“There were two adults in the house - a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s - at the time of the incident, as well as two girls aged 11 and five. They were uninjured, but were left shocked.”

DUP MLA Peter Weir said: “I am shocked and disgusted at news that overnight a young family in Fairfield Court, Newtownards were the victims of an arson attack. The arson attack led to the destruction of the family car, and we must be very thankful that the fire was able to be stopped before it ignited their house.”

He continued: “This wanton criminal behaviour will appal local people in the Bowtown estate and beyond, and we could today have been faced with the dreadful result of the death of a young family including two young children. Nothing can justify this, and the criminals responsible must be brought to justice. I appeal to anyone who has seen or heard anything suspicious to immediately come forward to Newtownards PSNI.”

Inspector Savage added: “We are appealing to anyone with information about what happened, or who saw suspicious activity in the area late last night or early this morning to get in touch with police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 124 of 7/10/18.”