ANGRY residents are pleading with authorities to step up and protect them after a spate of suspected arson attacks in a Southampton neighbourhood.

Firefighters were called to a home in Sullivan Road, Sholing after a blaze broke out in a shed at the back of the property around 2am yesterday.

Officers were still at the scene of the fire until nearly 1pm, and cordoned off fencing around the property.

A resident of the area said: “Even if there’s arguments going on, there’s no need to set things alight and endanger the family that lives there.

“This affects all neighbours that live nearby, especially those with young children. Let’s hope the police catch the person who did this, especially as it’s more than once.

Daily Echo:

“Maybe they need to put surveillance cameras up in the trees or nearby to try and stop it.”

One neighbour said that they had been woken in the early hours of the morning four nights in a row because of fires at the property.

They told the Daily Echo that Monday night there was a fire in the garden, on Tuesday and Wednesday there were a number of bin fires, and then the incident in the early hours of yesterday morning at the side of the house.

Another neighbour said: “I’ve lived here 14 years. We don’t really have a lot of trouble at this end of Sullivan Road.

“I don’t live in fear because this happens anywhere, but we don’t know the circumstances.

“If we do it might change my mind.”

Crews from Hightown and St Mary’s were called to the scene and Firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the blaze.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Fire and Rescue said the force were working with Hampshire Police as part of an arson investigation.

A spokesperson for the Hampshire Constabulary said: “The incident is being treated as arson and enquiries are on-going.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting 44180402387.