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THIEVES have ruined Christmas for three young children after they stole their presents, ransacked their home and set fire to it.
The family — two girls, aged 10 and six, their two-month-old baby brother and their mother — were away visiting family in York when criminals broke into their house at 12.25am this morning and set fire to it in five places.
They then fled, stealing the children’s presents.
The youngsters and their mum, named locally as Emma, had only moved into the mid-terrace house in Rawsthorne Street, Halliwell, two months ago, but now cannot return because it is so badly damaged.
Neighbour Mr Lucas, aged 30, raised the alarm after smelling smoke in his living room.
He said: "I just wanted to get everybody out because the gas metre is behind the front door and I was worried there would be an explosion.”
The bathroom of Mr Lucas’ house, where he lives with his 48-year-old partner, was filled with smoke, and his friend, a 29-year-old woman who was visiting, was taken to hospital after breathing in smoke.
A 35-year-old nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said: "To hear it was deliberate is frightening. To do this at any time of the year is awful, but setting fire to a home days before Christmas is even more cruel.
“How could someone do that when it would have been obvious children lived there?"
Firefighters were at the scene for more than three hours.
Crew manager Paul Norris, from Bolton Central Fire Station, said the five fires were started in the baby's crib, on two settees and in some clothes.
He said: "When we arrived the home was quite well alight. Two teams went into the property to search.
“Someone had caused three fires in the living room, one in a first floor bedroom and one in the bathroom. The damage caused was quite bad.”
Police are investigating and have launched a campaign to get new presents for the youngsters in time for Christmas.
Police said they have been inundated with donations and offers of help. Anyone who wants to contribute can contact police on 101.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/10121159.Arsonists_ruin_Christmas_for_family/
Disgusting! Not only did they steal the kids presents but to really ruin Christmas they also decided to burn their house down! No doubt the community will help make the Christmas better now, but they still will have no house.
The family — two girls, aged 10 and six, their two-month-old baby brother and their mother — were away visiting family in York when criminals broke into their house at 12.25am this morning and set fire to it in five places.
They then fled, stealing the children’s presents.
The youngsters and their mum, named locally as Emma, had only moved into the mid-terrace house in Rawsthorne Street, Halliwell, two months ago, but now cannot return because it is so badly damaged.
Neighbour Mr Lucas, aged 30, raised the alarm after smelling smoke in his living room.
He said: "I just wanted to get everybody out because the gas metre is behind the front door and I was worried there would be an explosion.”
The bathroom of Mr Lucas’ house, where he lives with his 48-year-old partner, was filled with smoke, and his friend, a 29-year-old woman who was visiting, was taken to hospital after breathing in smoke.
A 35-year-old nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said: "To hear it was deliberate is frightening. To do this at any time of the year is awful, but setting fire to a home days before Christmas is even more cruel.
“How could someone do that when it would have been obvious children lived there?"
Firefighters were at the scene for more than three hours.
Crew manager Paul Norris, from Bolton Central Fire Station, said the five fires were started in the baby's crib, on two settees and in some clothes.
He said: "When we arrived the home was quite well alight. Two teams went into the property to search.
“Someone had caused three fires in the living room, one in a first floor bedroom and one in the bathroom. The damage caused was quite bad.”
Police are investigating and have launched a campaign to get new presents for the youngsters in time for Christmas.
Police said they have been inundated with donations and offers of help. Anyone who wants to contribute can contact police on 101.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/10121159.Arsonists_ruin_Christmas_for_family/
Disgusting! Not only did they steal the kids presents but to really ruin Christmas they also decided to burn their house down! No doubt the community will help make the Christmas better now, but they still will have no house.
That will help ease the pain