Residents 'in shock' after two homes torched

The occupants of both houses, understood to be families with children, were away from home

The home of a couple and their young child was gutted by fire along with the house next door in a suspected arson attack.

Merseyside Police said petrol had been poured into the front porch of one of the properties, in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, to ignite the blaze, which then spread to the second house.

A relative of the woman living in the house said she was out of the country on holiday with her family but was "in shock" after the attack in Carlingford Close, just before midnight on Saturday.

It is the second serious house fire believed to have been deliberately started in Liverpool within just over 24 hours after a man also escaped a property in Everton.

The second house affected in Toxteth on Saturday night was also empty at the time according to neighbours, with the family also understood to be away on holiday.

Both houses had suffered visibly extensive damage throughout, with charred and blackened furniture piled into the front gardens by forensic investigators.

Merseyside Police said petrol had been poured into the front porch area of the house pictured on the left

The relative, who did not wish to be named, lives close by but said he was at his father's house when his wife called with news of the fire.

He said: "I think the whole close was out, everybody was in shock.

"I can't think why anyone would do this, there is no logic to it at all."

He said both families had been "very lucky" not to be at home, although his relative had been informed and was "in shock".

He added: "This close is normally very nice and peaceful, all the kids who live here all go out and play and it's very peaceful, very multi-cultural with people from all around the world.

"Nobody expected for this to happen, it's shocking."

Merseyside Police said no injuries had been reported.

The investigation comes after another attack on Roxburgh Street in Everton on Friday evening.

The force has also recently charged a man with murder after an elderly couple, Eric Greener and Sheila Jackson, died in a fire in St Helens on 15 July.

Det Insp Victoria Lanceley: "We all know too well the devastation and fatal consequences such an incredibly dangerous act can cause and puts the lives of residents in the street at risk.

"It's only down to sheer fortune that no one was injured in this incident and clearly it could have been a lot worse."