Family back home but arsonist still at large after terrifying Dudley blaze

Tairah Aftab and five of her children had to escape out of the back door when a burning car rolled towards their Dudley home and set the front door on fire last weekend.

Mrs Aftab, whose husband was out of the country at the time of the attack, believes her home was deliberately targeted and says video of the arson attack was posted on Snapchat.

Nobody was injured but the children were left traumatised and unable to sleep after seeing flames leaping from the vehicle towards their house.

"My daughter didn't want to come back home, they haven't been able to sleep," Mrs Aftab said.

"They all slept in my bed as they were quite frightened. They are quite traumatised.

"They woke up in the night saying the house is on fire, they're too scared to go into their own rooms. I am scared too.

"I don't understand why this happened to me. I'm still shaking."

The car was set alight on their street Redcroft Road, near Warrens Hall Nature Reserve in Dudley, at around midnight last Saturday.

The car then edged towards the home where Mrs Aftab was inside with five of her seven children.

As flames leaped out of the car, the blaze spread to the front door of the house and smoke poured inside until firefighters arrived and doused the flames.

Mrs Aftab, 43, and her children initially stayed at her friend's house but returned home after one night away.

Fire damage was clearly visible on the front of the house and two of the ground-floor windows had to be boarded up.

Meanwhile the car that was set on fire was left gutted and charred on the drive.

"It doesn't seem like it's my house now," Mrs Aftab added.

"They boarded up with windows and the doors.

"My husband isn't here, his brother passed away so he had to fly to Pakistan.

"I haven't harmed anyone. They put it on Snapchat at the time, my son found it and I have the video."

West Midlands Police is investigating but confirmed on Monday that no arrests have been made.