'Deliberate' fire in Coventry family's garden leaves children 'waking up screaming'

A mum from Coventry, whose garden has been destroyed by a fire, says her children are "distressed" and have been "waking up screaming".

It happened on Saturday night (13 August) in Hillfields and the family believe it was deliberate after a similar incident occurred two months ago at a neighbour's property.

The family were at home when the fire started at the back of the house on King Edward Road and now they say the children are living in fear.

The mum-of-two said: "We noticed it at around 6.20pm. It's completely destroyed my back garden fence and part of my garden.

"The younger kids are really scared and didn't sleep well last night at all. One of my kids kept waking up screaming."

The woman, who asks to not be named, lives in the family home with her husband and children and said: "My garden is ruined.

"My children are distressed and they cannot play out there and I have a dog that can't go out there as she can escape."

There's access to the back of the family home in Hillfields to the public and although she doesn't know who started it, she's frustrated that she doesn't feel safe in her own home.

She said: "This is not the first time this has happened as last time it happened, my neighbour's fence was set on fire.

"Yesterday was definitely the worst time and I'm becoming very depressed about it and we do not feel safe here.

"Also there is no CCTV there and whether it's kids or whoever, they are getting away with it."