A DISTRAUGHT woman and her four children have been left homeless by vandals who are running amok on a troubled Blackburn estate.

Arsonists set fire to the house next door to where Heidi Mills lives with her youngsters on the Fishmoor Estate.

The 27-year-old, who was forced out of her last home because of a fire, was told that by council officials that the property on Flimby Close is too dangerous to live in.

Police and firefighters have recently complained about the level of vandalism on the estate.

Fire crews have been called out scores of times to deal with arson attacks and are calling for police protection after young thugs hurled stones and rocks at them on several occasions.

The incident took place around 7pm on Wednesday evening and flames from the fire spread into the loft of the house occupied by the Mills family.

Mrs Mills said: "The council came round and told me the property wasn't safe to stay in and I would have to move.

"They told me we would have to go to a homeless unit but I don't want to leave all my stuff in the house.

"As soon as a house is boarded up on the estate the vandals just move in and wreck everything.

"There are only a few houses still occupied and the vandals are making our lives a misery."

Heidi added: "I had to move out of my last house because of a fire and this was the last thing in the world I needed.

"Everyone just wants to get off the estate and it is like a war zone up here. The kids are at it every night and they are just destroying everything.

"All the kids' clothes, toys and furniture is in the house and I am just terrified that we are going to lose everything. The whole thing is a nightmare and my children are devastated."

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