Bowthorpe woman praises neighbours for tackling house fire

A Bowthorpe woman has today thanked neighbours for their quick-thinking actions after they helped extinguish a fire which broke out after yobs threw flammable liquid at the house.

Marilyn Lutkin, 61, was just about to go to bed at her home in Montgomery Close when she heard a loud bang and discovered flames lapping outside her front door when she went to investigate.

Mrs Lutkin, who was at home with her husband John, son Dean Bareham, 32, and two dogs, said: 'I went to the top of the stairs and could just see flames through the glass in the door.'

Appliances from Earlham and Carrow attended the fire, which broke out just before midnight on Wednesday, but it had already been brought under control by neighbours.

Mrs Lutkin said: 'Fortunately, my neighbour next door and a man opposite had thrown buckets of water and got a wet duvet and put it out by the time the fire brigade got here.

'I dread to think what would've happened if they hadn't put it out – it would've been in the house. I don't know how you can pay anyone back for that. Thank you isn't enough.'

A spokesman for Norfolk police said: 'We're investigating it as an arson. It looks like someone has thrown some flammable liquid from the driveway towards the front door, which hit the car and caused some minor damage.'

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information about it should call Norwich CID on 101.