Pensioner describes arson ordeal

An 84-year-old woman who suffers from a heart condition has been describing an arson attack at her home in Twinbrook on the outskirts of west Belfast.

A caravan was set alight in the back garden of Anne McMullan's home.

Two firefighters were then injured when their appliance was attacked on their way to the fire at Juniper Rise.

"The caravan was close up to my back kitchen window and all I could see was the flames - that's what frightened me," said Mrs McMullan.

She said a neighbour brought her to safety.

"I went back into the hall and shouted, 'I can't find my key', and the next thing he put the door in and got me out."

A firefighter driving an appliance suffered cuts to his neck and other got glass into an eye when the windscreen was smashed as they entered Twinbrook.

A PSNI spokeswoman said both incidents were being investigated.

Chris Kerr, group commander of the Fire and Rescue Service said: "Clearly but for the professionalism and calmness of the driver, who maintained control of the fire appliance and courageously drove on to the incident, we could have been looking at the death or serious injury of firefighters or members of the public."