A car mechanic and his friend rescued a family from their burning home following an arson attack.

Dean Abbott had been for a night out in Crawley when he and David Schofield saw flames licking the outside of a property in Warren Drive, Ifield, at 3.30am on Sunday.

The men stopped and stood shouting outside the house until the family woke up.

Mr Abbott, 26, of Kingsley Road, Horley, Surrey, climbed on a wheelie bin and helped lift the family's 12-year-old son out of a window and onto the porch.

Mr Schofield, 22, who is also a car mechanic from Horley, helped the boy down from the porch and the rest of the family also managed to escape.

Mr Abbott said: “We got them out and then me and the woman from the house broke a window round the back with a paving slab. A dog came out and lots of other animals.

“It all happened so quickly and we just did what we did, then we were in shock.”

As well as rescuing the family, a dog, tortoise and pet snail were also saved from the fire.

The three people who had been inside were taken to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, suffering from smoke inhalation.

Mr Abbott said: “The neighbour across the road took us in and gave us blankets and tea. I had cuts and bruises and we were both checked over.

“I am keen to see the family. The hospital said if they had been in there for five more minutes they would have been dead.

“Our friends and family are very proud of us and the phone has not stopped ringing.”

Fire investigators have confirmed the fire at the front of the house was started deliberately. It is thought that an attempt was also made to set fire to a car parked on the driveway of the property.

A 17-year-old man from Northgate, Crawley, was arrested on suspicion of arson this morning and is being questioned.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Detective Constable Julie Davis on 0845 6070999, quoting reference 337 of April 19, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.