A FAMILY is living in fear after two arson attacks on their home. Mum of four Candice Bowman says moving back into the house will put their lives at risk. Devastated Candice, 35, said: I won t put my kids lives at risk by going back there. They tried

A FAMILY is living in fear after two arson attacks on their home. Mum of four Candice Bowman says moving back into the house will put their lives at risk.

Devastated Candice, 35, said: "I won't put my kids' lives at risk by going back there. "They tried twice to burn it down, who says they will not come back again?"

She says the family, who lived in Sandbank, Wisbech St Mary, was saved by a smoke alarm and the prompt action of a neighbour who extinguished the flames with a garden hose after both attacks.

Detective Sergeant Matt Swash said: "We are treating these incidents very seriously and it was lucky that the first fire was caught before it spread. It has also caused concern for neighbours.

"We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the incident taking place, or any other suspicious behaviour in the area."

Candice described how she led her children to safety during the first attack at around 4.15am on Sunday when the smoke alarm went off after a curtain was set alight through an open side window.

She said: "I woke up when the alarm went off jumped out of bed and went down stairs. I shouted that the house was on fire. I went and took the baby downstairs then went back up for the toddler. The older ones got out but we all had to escape through a smoke filled room."

Neighbours John and Gerry Kinsey had also been woken by the smoke alarm. He said: "We heard the alarm and then someone shouting. I went to make sure they were all out and then went back to get my garden hose. Luckily the hose reaches right around the houses."

Candice took her children aged from five and a half months to 14 years to stay with her future mother-in-law in Wisbech. But at around 1.45am on Tuesday there was a second attack on the house.

One again Mr Kinsey was alerted by a smoke alarm after a fire was started through the font door letter box.

He said: "This time the flames were fierce and there was lots of thick black smoke. There was stuff alight in the house and the settee was on fire.

"The flames were so fierce I had to stand behind the fence in between the houses and put the hose though the letterbox."

Mr and Mrs Kinsey are now concerned for their own safety. Mr Kinsey said: "Our house could have gone up as well. We have been taking it in turns to sit at the window during the night with the light on. We would have liked the house to have been boarded up completely to stop other incidents."

She is desperate for alternative accommodation as her children are sleeping on the floor of the two bedroom bungalow belonging to Elsie Clayton whose husband has Alzheimer's disease.

Mrs Clayton said: "It is disgraceful that anyone thinks she can live in that house with a family. She can't stay here for ever.