Fire fighters who rescued a terrified 11-year-old girl from a blazing house, have condemned the vandals who set her home on fire.

Ron Carr, station officer at Middlesbrough fire station said: "The front of the property was well alight. We were told everyone was accounted for, that everyone was out. Then the father said my daughter is still in there.''

The little girl's life was saved because she had closed her bedroom door on going to bed and the door kept out the smoke.

Two fire fighters bundled her up and brought her out of the house.

Vandals had pushed a wheelie bin against the gas meter cupboard on the outside wall of the house in Weatherhead Avenue, Whinney Banks, Middlesbrough - and then torched the bin.

The fire burned through the gas pipe and electricity supply.

The little girl's father woke to the sound of a downstairs window exploding and got two of his other children out of the house.

"To put the lives of children at risk is appalling,'' said Mr Carr.

After rescuing the little girl, fire fighters went back into the flames to rescue her pet dog.

"It was a nasty job,'' Mr Carr added.

The family and their next door neighbours were affected by the blaze which broke out at 3am this morning, and both were evacuated and are staying with friends.

Cleveland Police said: "The fire is being treated as suspicious.''