A terrified family fled their Huddersfield home in the early hours after an arson attack.

The woman and her four children managed to get out of the house in Birkby after flammable liquid was poured through a letterbox and set alight.

The nasty incident in Lynndale Avenue, a quiet residential street, happened shortly before 4am.

READ MORE: Electrical fault cause of massive fire at Calderdale waste plant

READ MORE: Production suspended at Sygenta after electrical blaze

The parent and four children managed to get out without being harmed after smoke alarms were triggered and the fire smothered.

Arson attack on family home in Lynndale Avenue, Birkby

Huddersfield fire brigade Watch Commander Chris Bell said the incident occurred at 3.51am.

He said: “If the fire had spread to coats on the coat rack it would have gone upstairs.”

Police are now investigating.