A YOUNG mother and her daughter are recovering from the horror of being trapped in their home after arsonists set fire to their wheelie bin.

Juliann Child, 31, of Windsor Road, Thanington, near Canterbury, says they were terrified and lucky to have survived. The drama began at about 5am on Sunday. "Something woke me up and I could hear crackling and popping," said Miss Child. "It sounded like a car backfiring. I had a feeling I needed to check it and am so relieved I did.

"I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't woken up. Another 10 minutes and it would have taken hold in the roof." She believes her and five-year-old Shannon's lives were put at risk by somebody playing an irresponsible prank.

"People who get their kicks like this must be really sick," she said. Alerted by the noise, she looked out of the window and saw flames roaring across both back and front doors. They had spread from the bin to the garden gate and fence and, as the plastic bin melted, caught the guttering and soffit under the bedroom windows.

"There was no escape. I rang the fire brigade and brought Shannon downstairs. We couldn't get out so we waited by the front room window. A neighbour was going for a ladder and something to break the window when the fire brigade arrived.

"It was terrifying. I kept thinking this couldn't be happening to us. The flames were close to the gas supply which also frightened me."

Having spent the rest of the night with family she returned home, but found herself repeatedly checking everything was safe. It has made me very nervous," she said. "I hope the council repairs the fence quickly so I have some security."

Leading firefighter Gavin Hayward said: "We advise people not to put bins out the night before emptying days and to make sure they are not next to property."