A MAN has told of his horror after police said they strongly suspect arsonists set fire to his house while he and his wife slept upstairs.

Michael Thompson, 32, had already had fears about his family's safety after their neighbouring home was burnt out last July.

He had already evacuated his children - aged seven months, 18 months and six years - from the family home in Consett to live with relatives before the fire on Tuesday night.

Mr Thompson and his wife, Amanda, 24, were still in shock on Wednesday after surviving the fire to their home on Pemberton Avenue in the Bridge Hill area of the town.

But Mr Thompson took the time to praise his neighbours who had taken a ladder to the bedroom window to lead the couple to safety, knocked a door down and extinguished the fire, all before the fire brigade arrived after being called shortly after 11pm on Tuesday.

He said he had re-entered the house in an attempt to save his beloved pet dog, Z. The animal was found hiding on the couple's bed under the duvet. The family's two budgerigars perished in the fire.

Mr Thompson said: "My wife was asleep and I was in the bedroom when I heard the smoke alarm. I woke up Amanda and she was screaming and screaming but she put her dressing gown on.

"I opened the door but there was just this black smoke and I thought I was dying. It felt like I was getting sucked in to this big, black hole."

The couple couldn't open their bedroom window but eventually neighbour Clifton Hinds, 19, took a ladder to the window and helped the pair escape. Other neighbours Sean Sands and Linda Glancy joined others from the street to knock the door down and extinguish the blaze.

The couple, who did not have house insurance, lost about £10,000 worth of property.

They were both taken to University Hospital of North Durham in Durham City for check-ups but were not hurt.

Their children, Chantelle, Simone and Kimberley, were staying at their grandmother's house in nearby Delves Lane.

A spokesman for the police said it appeared flammable liquid had been poured through the letter box. Anyone with any information is asked to call Consett police on (01207) 504204