Police firework call 'unanswered'

Rocket attack: Four people need hospital treatment after the blaze

A neighbour of a woman whose home was gutted by a firework attack says he made a warning call five minutes before but did not receive an answer.

Musician Paul Needs, 43, saw a gang of teenagers fire a rocket at a block of flats near his home at Sandfields, Port Talbot.

As the youths ran away, Mr Needs' girlfriend used his mobile to call police but hung up after four minutes because no-one picked it up.

Moments later, a rocket was thrown through the bedroom window of an elderly woman - destroying her home and leaving four people in hospital.

South Wales Police are investigating the blaze in Moorlands Road, Sandfields, reported at about 1910 GMT on Tuesday.

The call on Mr Needs' phone began at 1905 GMT and lasted four minutes and five seconds.

It was just ringing and nobody picked it up. We just gave up Paul Needs

Police said officers at Port Talbot station had taken 25 calls in the previous two hours, 11 of which were 999 emergencies.

"The busy nature of yesterday evening meant resources were particularly stretched, which would explain the unanswered non-emergency call," a police spokesperson said.

Mr Needs and his girlfriend, Beth McKellar, who live in Dalton Road with their three dogs, said they thought the youngsters had left the area after firing the first rocket - else he would have dialled 999.

"We first noticed them because they fired a rocket a little further down in Dalton Road," said Mr Needs.

"The rocket bounced off the stonework of the building, hit the ground and fizzed away.

Paul Needs rang the police on his mobile phone but no-one answered

"They ran off then, three went down Bevan Avenue and the rest to Moorlands Road. The roads are joined up by a piece of grass.

"I thought they had a bit of scare and had stopped doing it - if I had known they were going to carry on firing rockets at buildings, I would have phoned 999."

He said a switchboard operator took Ms McKellar's call and put her through to the station in Port Talbot.

"It was just ringing and nobody picked it up. We just gave up."

Trapped by smoke

The couple then went out, unaware that one of the bangs they heard was the attack on the pensioner's home.

People living in the block where the blaze started are still coming to terms with what has happened.

David Williams, 66, who lives next door, said his daughter spotted a gang of youths resting a firework rocket on the low wall outside the building.

"They lit the rocket and it went straight at the window. The fire was so fierce. If someone was in bed, they would have had no chance."

Karen Bailey, 54, who was visiting her sister Maria on the other side of a communal hall, became trapped in the building by the smoke.

She said: "The smoke was coming in and I was crying to the woman on the other end of the phone."

Eventually someone - she does not know who - kicked open the front door to Maria Bailey's first floor flat and led her out.