24 June 2012 Last updated at 14:10 ET

Oil tank arson attack as family sleeps in Randalstown

A woman and her three young children have escaped injury after an arson attack on their home in County Antrim.

An oil tank was set on fire at the back of the house at Mill View in Randalstown at about 04:00 BST.

The flames did not spread to the house, but the woman who lives there said it could have been much worse.

Donna McBrien said: "We were fast asleep. If I hadn't heard that window crack and woken up, we would have been killed."

She said when she spotted the flames, she grabbed her three children aged between four and six and brought them to safety.

She added: "Whoever did this knew what they were doing. I'm just a bag of nerves at the minute, and I've no idea why this happened at all."

A police spokeswoman appealed for anyone who noticed suspicious activity in the area to contact them.

"Investigations are in the early stages and all lines of enquiry will be followed up," she added.