A MOTHER has spoken of her terror after arsonists set fire to her home.

Marie Edmonds, 30, of Beaver Tower, Eastwood, was with her 14-month-old baby Molly, when arsonists stuffed paper through her letter box and set fire to it.

Emergency services were called to the blaze on the seventh floor at around 4.30am on Friday.

Miss Edmonds said: "It was absolutely terrifying, not so much for me because I can take care of myself, but for my daughter.

"The firemen told me they definitely thought it was arson. Why would you do something like that unless you were trying to kill the person inside. If I hadn't woken up then who knows what could have happened."

Crews from Leigh, Rayleigh and Southend initially feared the occupants had no way to get out but soon discovered the Miss Edmonds had put out the fire herself.

Flames wrecked the flat's letter box and left the door badly charred and stained by smoke.

Miss Edmonds is believed to have been woken up by the attacker before the fire started.

Southend station commander Martyn Hodder said: "It appears that someone set light to the front door of the flat.

"Fortunately the woman was up and in the kitchen when the incident happened or we may have been looking at a more serious incident."

However, fire services said both the woman and child were visibly shocked by what happened.

The incident, which happened at about 4.30am on Friday, was the latest in series of attacks in the same building.

A joint police and fire investigation was started after crews ventilated the property.