A spate of arson attacks have left a community fearing a future tragedy.

Residents in Woodberry Drive, Murston, have suffered six suspicious fires in communal rubbish areas in the past 12 months.

The latest happened last Sunday morning when a bin was set alight at Oaktree House, one of four social housing blocks in the vicinity.

No one was injured, but mum-of-three Christine Pike, 25, who rents a flat in the building, said matters could take a more serious turn.

She said: “Someone’s going to be killed one day.

“I think it’s just kids - there’s nothing else for them to do around here.

“As soon as the bin fills up, someone sets it alight.

“The fire brigade have to deal with these silly little incidents which could stop them saving a life elsewhere. But one day, someone’s going to pay the ultimate price for this stupidity.”

Crews have been called to 10 bin fires in Woodberry Drive since April 2012.

As well as the suspicious incidents, the cause of three blazes was unknown, while one was deemed accidental.

In the second-most recent episode, two teenagers were charged with public order offences after a rubbish chute was set alight on April 4.

One man, who wanted to remain anonymous and lives in Ashtree House, a past target for arsonists, said a lack of local amenities is fuelling the danger of further fires.

He said: “There’s a park nearby, but what teenager wants to sit around on swings these days?

“Now they’ve closed our only cinema and replaced it with a bingo hall, which is hardly attractive to a 15-year-old is it?”

A spokesman for housing group Amicus Horizon said it was aware of the recent fires and security was in the process of being tightened.

She said: “We take these reports seriously and are fitting the bin store with locks.

“Keys to the store will only be issued to residents of Woodberry Drive.”

It might mean a quieter night for Urvashi Patel, 40, who has run Loco, a nearby convenience store, for seven years.

She said the problem has become so acute, she shuts up shop early to avoid the increasing nighttime menace.

“I’d stay open longer but I’m too frightened,” she said. “So I close at 7pm, I go home and stay there.