A MUM instinctively pulled her four-year-old daughter to safety after a firework was thrown through her letterbox.

Karen McBride, 32, had just handed her daughter a drink from the kitchen when she saw the firework, believed to be an Air Bomb, drop into her hallway at around 7.30pm on Monday.

Immediately, she grabbed four-year-old Demi and pulled her into the kitchen.

She then heard two explosions which blasted a hole through her front door and shot debris into her house.

Miss McBride said her daughter could have been killed or seriously injured.

Lancashire fire chief Peter Holland said it was a “shocking and deplorable” arson attack, while police pledged to crackdown on the misue of fireworks.

The mother-of-four, who lives in the Wensley Fold area of Blackburn, said: “They need to think about what they are doing. Lives that could have been ruined.

“We were just really lucky.

“I picked my daughter up from the kitchen and ran into the living room. The hallway was full of smoke.”

Lancashire’s chief fire officer, Peter Holland said it was a “shocking arson attack with the potential to kill or severely injure the occupants”.

He said: “Firefighters too are put at risk by such criminal behaviour and deplore the actions of whoever is responsible.

“Our fire investigation team will be working closely with the police on the case.”

A police spokesperson said: “Fortunately, no one was hurt, although a thorough investigation will be carried out and I urge anyone with information to contact police.

“This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and extremely dangerous.

“We urge people to be responsible with fireworks.

“We would like to reassure residents that officers will be working with the fire service and cracking down on any anti-social behaviour or disorder relating to the use of fireworks.”