Mother and 3 children flee home after arson attack

» Mark Moloney

‘They can’t go home – somebody is out to kill them’

A CATHOLIC MOTHER and her three children have been forced to flee their home in the mainly unionist town of Newtownards following a string of sectarian attacks on them.

On Saturday night, an accelerant was poured through the letterbox of the home of Janette Nelson in Lenamore Park and ignited. Ms Nelson was luckily able to extinguish the fire and escape.

Just over a week earlier there was a similar arson attack on the property in the early hours of the morning during which her children had to be rescued by neighbours from an upstairs window as smoke from a fire downstairs made it impossible for them to escape.

Graffiti reading “Taig out” has also been scrawled on the windows and walls of the house and her car has been damaged over successive weekends.

Ms Nelson has lived in Lenamore Park for six years with her three children: Bryanny (12), Zofi (7) and Eli (2). Neighbours say they are a “quiet family” who “don't bother anyone” and cannot understand why they have been targeted.

Her sister, Lizzie, told BBC Newsline:

“They can’t go home – any time they do go home, this happens again. Somebody is out to kill them.”

The PSNI arrested a 32-year-old woman last week on suspicion of intimidation in connection with an earlier attack. The woman has been released pending further inquiries.

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the attacks to contact them.