Wheelie bin arsonists ‘dice with death’

Detectives are investigating the fire which trapped a 77-year-old woman in her house in Holmfield Road, Clayton West, in the early hours of yesterday morning. By 1am the fire had spread to the kitchen window and the rest of the house.

The woman was rescued by fire crews and treated in hospital for breathing in smoke.

David Tattersfield of the Kirklees Arson Taskforce said: “During the summer, when school’s out for summer, we tend to see an increase in deliberate fires.

“While fire-fighters are tackling these deliberately started fires, they are unavailable to attend other life-threatening incidents, which means crews from further afield have to be called in.”

“Fire-fighters have been called to such fires on a number of occasions recently and I believe it’s only a matter of time before a member of the public or a fire-fighter is seriously injured.”

Anyone with information should contact Huddersfield CID.