Woman escapes uninjured following arson attack at house in Derry

By Cate McCurry, PA

A woman has been left shaken following an arson attack on a house in Derry, police have said.

Detectives are appealing for information and witnesses following a report of a fire at a house in the city in the early hours of Saturday.

Shortly after 3am, police and emergency services were called to the house in the Gweebara Park area.

Police said it is believed that a man approached the property and poured some form of accelerant onto the front porch and front door before setting it alight and then making off on foot.

He was described as wearing a dark-coloured hooded top, with the hood up and his face covered, and dark tracksuit bottoms.

Damage was caused to both the internal and external front door areas of the house.

The woman, who was in the property at the time, was not physically injured, but has been left shaken by the ordeal, police said.

Police are treating it as arson with intent to endanger life.

Anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anything, or who may have CCTV or other video footage, is asked to police.

Alternatively, the public can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form at psni.police.uk/makeareport/