Arson father speaks out

Martin Putland and 10-year-old Luke are staying with family in Eastbourne as they come to terms with the trauma they suffered.

Their home in Cumberland Road was set on fire as they slept. Sussex Police are treating the incident as arson and have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

It is thought petrol was poured through the front door which melted as flames began to spread through the hallway.

In an exclusive interview with the Observer this week, Martin vowed not to return to his Sidley home where there had been earlier incidents.

The fire happened at 4am on Tuesday last week, the day that Luke was due to return to Sidley CP School following the Christmas holiday. Luke remembers: "I was woken by smelling lots of smoke and hearing sparks from the flames.

"I was a little bit scared but I knew I had to stay calm to get out."

"Somehow I found my torch. I put it on and I still couldn't see anything. And then my dad woke up a little bit after me, and started banging on the door so I could go towards the sound, and get into his bedroom.

Martin shouted to his son to crawl "like a commando" to safety.

Having called emergency services, they then stayed in the back bedroom and leaned out of the first floor window so firefighters could see their torch.

Luke said: "I felt relieved that we were going to get out. I felt upset because it happened so quickly. I didn't have enough time to think about it, but when we got to hospital, I started getting upset that our house had just been set on fire.

He has not been to school since and said: "I am missing my friends a bit."

Both suffered from smoke inhalation and required hours of re-oxygenation and treatment at the Conquest.

Martin, 36, returned briefly to the house when he was released to salvage whatever he could find. They each have just one pair of shoes.

Now he has no intention of returning to Sidley to live and is hoping to be re-housed in Eastbourne.

He said: "It has sunk in now. I am a little numb still, but feel better. I have got to be strong. I have got to be there for Luke, and we have got to find somewhere to live.

"I am just trying to find a new home. For what I am going through at the moment, it is very important to be here.

"I have friends in Bexhill who have been very dear and very helpful - they have given us clothes and support. But I feel too much has happened there."

He has experienced problems living in Cumberland Road, and has a court case coming up involving an alleged assault by a neighbour, as well as stones being thrown through his windows.

Martin told the Observer there have also been prowlers in his back garden. He traces trouble back to an incident with teenagers when he was out with a friend and a confrontation arose.