DETECTIVES are hunting two arsonists who mistakenly targeted the home of a teenage mum and her young daughter.
Officers believe the teenagers, who tried to set fire to Amy Martin's home in Augusta Street, Accrington, were intending to attack a particular man, but had got the wrong street.
Amy, 18, was asleep with her two-year-old daughter Ellie early on Saturday when she was woken by two people banging on her front door and shouting a man's name. She went downstairs and found fuel had been poured through her letterbox and a lit piece of paper pushed through. The young mum put out the blaze with wet towels, but it damaged the carpet and front door.
Amy, whose parents Susan and Darren live next door, said she was now terrified the arsonists could strike again and had sent her daughter to live with relatives.
She said: "When I heard the people outside shouting for this man, I told them I didn't know who they were talking about. Next thing, the lobby was on fire. I was in shock, but I managed to put it out before calling my mum, who phoned the police."
Amy, who has lived in Augusta Street since she was five, said she had been unable to sleep properly since the attack and her dad had been staying downstairs at night in case the arsonists returned. She said: "I just don't feel safe here anymore - I'm definitely going to move now."
Detective Sergeant Paul Broxson, of Accrington CID, said the arsonists had shouted for a man who was known to police. He added: "The man they shouted for has never lived at this address. We have spoken to him and he claims not to have any idea why this happened."
The first youth involved in the attack was male, around 18 years old, with short, light-coloured hair, wearing a black or navy jogging top with tracksuit bottoms. His accomplice was a girl aged around 16 with shoulder-length, straight black hair, wearing a navy tracksuit top and bottoms.
Anyone with information should contact DS Broxson on 353743.
