Two teenagers arrested following a series of arson attacks in Bradford over three days remained in custody this morning.

Four house fires and a car fire happened within a short distance of each other in and near Holme Wood and are all being treated as suspicious.

A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested on suspicion of arson.

In the first incident, a mother and two children were pulled out of a window to safety by passing police officers as flames and smoke swept through their Heysham Drive home just after 3am on Saturday.

In the second, a 78-year-old man was rescued from his burning house by neighbours and firemen just after 1am on Monday.

Neighbours named the pensioner as Bill McHale who has lived in Moorcroft Drive for more than 40 years.

The widower was asleep in his bedroom when the blaze broke out on the ground floor of his home, off Tong Street.

Lulu the Scottie dog was also saved from the blaze and is being cared for by a neighbour.

Mr McHale was taken by ambulance to Bradford Royal Infirmary suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

About 15 minutes later, firemen were called to another fire at an elderly person’s bungalow in nearby Leamside Walk.

A woman suffered from smoke inhalation during the incident at about 1.23am.

Another blaze broke out at about 3.15am just one street away in Wansford Close, Holme Wood. A Fiat car parked on a driveway was badly damaged during the blaze.

Minutes later another house fire broke out at Patefield House, Kesteven Road. A family, including children, discovered the fire, which was started at the back of their flat, and raised the alarm.

They suffered shock and the effects of breathing in smoke, but were not badly hurt.

Witnesses should call Detective Inspector Ian Bryar at Bradford South CID via 0845 60 60 606 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.