FIREFIGHTERS say lives were put at risk when firebugs pushed burning paper through the letterbox at a seven-flat house on Somerset Road, Heaton, last night.

Luckily, a resident managed to put out the fire with a water extinguisher before it got the chance to take hold. Police were called to the large Victorian house 10 minutes later to investigate the attack. Residents say that there had been a previous break-in.

Firefighters say that if the property had been an ordinary domestic dwelling, repercussions could have been more serious.

Sub fire officer Ken Rathbone condemned the arson attack, saying: "If someone has a vendetta against a person in this house, there must be another way of going about it.

"They have put lives at risk by committing this sort of attack on the premises.

"It's a lot different to throwing a brick through a window. It's quite unusual for this to happen in Heaton as it's normally a quiet residential area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at Bolton on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers on free phone 0800 555 111.