Police had to evacuate a home after suspected arsonists set fire to an empty next-door property today.

Bradford firefighters were called to the house in Woodhall Road, Thornbury, at about 2am.

A West Yorkshire Fire Service spokesman said the fire, which started in a bedroom, was believed to have been caused deliberately.

He said: “When we arrived the police were there already.

“Because they had seen the smoke coming from the house they had decided to evacuate the next-door neighbour’s house.”

A police spokesman said inquiries were being made into the incident, which was being treated as arson.

ends