Shock as police investigate an arson attack on a quiet Wolverhampton residential road

West Midlands Police officers are appealing for witnesses to a suspected arson attack at a home in Wolverhampton to come forward and help their investigation.

West Midlands Fire Service was called to Wendover Road in Lanesfield in Wolverhampton shortly before 10pm last night (Saturday, January 17) as they tackled a blaze at a property on the corner of Laper Avenue.

Four crews were sent to the scene and the fire was extinguished by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus by 10.20pm.

Residents in the area were left shocked by the fire, with one couple returning home from a trip to Cheshire on Sunday morning to discover the damage to the house on the road where they live. They said: "You miss evrything wehn you go out don't you. It was a shock as we returned."

Another Wendover Road resident added: "We're not really too sure what happened. I was putting my kids to bed at the time and I didn't really hear anything. We've been told no one was hurt. It's not what you expect to happen around here."

A statement from West Midlands Fire Service read: "At 9.47pm on Saturday (17 Jan) we responded to a house fire in Wendover Road, Ettingshall Park.

"The first of four fire crews arrived at the scene within five minutes of being mobilised. Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used hose reels to extinguish the fire, which was confirmed to be out by 10.20pm.

"No-one was in at the time. There was fire damage to a ground-floor room, and all of the semi-detached property was affected by smoke.

"We are investigating how it started."

West Midlands Police have said they are treating the incident as an arson attack, but are at an early stage of their investigation.

A spokesperson said: "We were called following a fire at an address in Wendover Road, Wolverhampton, at just after 9.50pm yesterday (17 January).

"Damage was caused to the property but no-one was injured.

"We're carrying out further enquiries but at this stage it is being treated as arson.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact us via Live Chat on our website, or by calling, and quote 20/116752/26"

Crime scene investigators were seen taking interest in black sediment outside the front of the property. When asked about this they said they were carrying out 'routine inspections,' but were unable to provide further details.

There was also interest in a ground floor window, which appeared to have had something thrown through it during the incident. This is understood to be the ground-floor room that suffered fire damage.