'Arson attack on my home has left me terrified'

A mother who escaped an arson attack with her young son has said she has been left haunted by the ordeal and too terrified to sleep.

Luanne Gill, managed to flee to safety with her 10-year-old son from what police described as a "terrifying and deliberate" attack at their home, which first started when a car was set alight on the drive.

Flames then spread to the front of the property on Cleggswood Avenue in Littleborough, Rochdale, early on 6 September.

"I was terrified and I still am," the 35-year-old said.

"I am just really anxious about being in that house and the unknown.

"I feel like I'm a sitting duck. They know who I am but I don't know who they are.

"I don't sleep. If a car alarm goes off it literally brings back that night."

When the attackers first set the car alight it triggered the car alarm but Ms Gill was unaware of the attack and turned it off.

It was only when the alarm went off a second time she looked out and saw the car in flames spreading to her home.

She said: "If that had not gone off a second time who knows what would have happened?"

Ms Gill escaped with her son and dialled 999 as she watched flames spreading to the roof.

"It was only then that it hit me we could have been killed and were in danger of losing our home," she said.

A 42-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of stalking and conspiracy to commit arson and has since been released on bail pending further investigation.

Greater Manchester Police have issued an appeal and released CCTV images of the attack on the house, plus footage from inside the first police car to arrive at the scene.

Ms Gill appealed for people to help police catch the attackers.

"I know its daunting but please do the right thing," she said.

Det Con Melanie Jeffery said the force "really needs the public's help" to catch the people responsible for this "sinister and reckless attack".

"The car was parked close to the house and the individuals who did this should have known what they were doing," she added.

Additional reporting by Gill Dummigan

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