A father who set fire to his own home while his wife and child were inside has escaped a jail sentence.

But Mansoor Hussain was banned from contacting his wife Tazeem Hussain and his daughter Saiqa without prior permission from the probation service.

The 46-year-old, who is originally from Bradford, was sentenced to three years' probation by Judge Graham Cliffe at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

Earlier the court heard how brave neighbour Arshad Khan went into a burning terraced house in Hollings Road, Whetley Hill, after he and other residents heard the screams of Tazeem Akhtar and her 16-year-old daughter.

The court was told how the teenager and her mother had to jump to safety from a first floor window after Hussain started a fire outside the door of his daughter's bedroom.

He had earlier been involved in an argument with his daughter and she and her mother had both ended up in the bedroom.

After a trial at Leeds Crown Court last month, Hussain, who had no previous convictions, was found guilty by a jury of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Earlier the judge was told how Mr Khan smashed a downstairs window to get into the house last December, but failed to persuade Hussain to come out.

He took a curtain outside which neighbours used to catch the 16-year-old when she left from the window. She suffered a broken arm in the fall.

Her mother escaped via the same bedroom window after neighbours brought out a mattress.

Mr Khan then went back inside the blazing property and dragged Hussain out of the house.

Judge Graham Cliffe described Mr Khan as a young man who behaved with conspicuous bravery.

"He went into a burning house, not once, but twice, and it seems to me he is responsible for saving the defendant himself from considerable harm because ultimately he essentially dragged him down the stairs and secured his safety in that way."

Hussain's barrister, Timothy Clayson described the events as totally out of character for his client.

He argued that because Mr Hussain had already served seven months in custody, the most constructive way to address his problems was to consider intervention by the probation service.

Before sentencing Hussain, the judge commended Mr Khan for his actions and gave him a £250 reward.