A family of five was rescued from a blazing house by firefighters after an arson attack.

Police believed the fire was started after someone shoved a burning object through the letter box.

David and Susan Moore, of Arunside, Horsham, and their children, Aaron, 14, Gemma, 11, and Adam, seven, were woken by the smoke alarm early yesterday.

Firefighters from Horsham and Crawley found the family sheltering in a first-floor bedroom and helped them climb to safety using a rescue ladder.

Mr Moore was taken to Crawley Hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhalation while his family was given first aid at the scene.

Mr Moore said: "It was terrifying. My first thought was to get the wife and kids to safety. There was smoke all over the place. I called the police and got us all into the front bedroom. It was a sick joke by someone. If the alarm hadn't gone off and the fire brigade hadn't been so good, five of us could have died.

"We've had trouble from people nearby in the last couple of months, lots of abuse and bad behaviour. We can never live there again."

Firefighter Mark Andrews said: "When we arrived there were some fairly fierce flames at the ground-floor entrance and we saw members of the family waving from the first floor.The family were very shocked and distressed. It could have been a tragedy."

Insp Mark Powles, of Sussex Police, said: "This appears to be a deliberate attack. We believe something may have been put through the letter box."

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