A pensioner armed with a hosepipe “valiantly” fought back the flames after an arson attack on a car parked outside her Telford home early today.

The woman and her husband were woken by a noise and looked out of their Red Lake home to see their Peugeot ablaze at about 3.10am.

In just her nightdress, the woman grabbed a hosepipe and used it to try to douse the flames in Castle View.

The woman, who did not want to be named, today thanked firefighters and neighbours for their efforts.

Crew manager Alan Wilson, of Wellington Fire Station, said: “We think it’s deliberate ignition possibly following an attempted fuel theft.

“The car hadn’t been used since Saturday. They were asleep and the elderly couple heard a bang and she looked out of the window. She sleeps on the ground floor next to the fire.

“She came out valiantly to fight the fire with a hosepipe and attempted to put it out.

“When we arrived she was there in her night clothes with a hosepipe. Her husband was not too well. He actually went straight to the phone and she went to attempt to put the fire out.

“She was distressed because people had been on her property.”

Mr Wilson said there had been a concern there were oxygen cylinders in the car and the situation could have been worse.

He said the crew was on the scene for about 90 minutes when normally they would deal with car fires in about 20 minutes.

A Telford police spokesman said they had attended the property and were treating the fire as arson.

He appealed for anyone with information to call them on 08457 444888.