POLICE have arrested a man on suspicion of arson after a fire forced four children to jump to safety from their burning Hampshire home.

Officers investigating an arson in Bramber Road, Gosport this morning have tonight arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with the incident.

Firefighters were called to the terraced house in the early hours of the morning along with police who cordoned off the road.

A 36–year old man, a 27-year-old woman and four children between the ages of three and 11 were in the house at the time.

Eyewitnesses described how they saw some of the youngsters jumping from the windows and how one neighbour heroically climbed the side of the house to help them to safety.

Rescuer Grant Stevens said: “I climbed up and passed three of the children down. I didn’t really think about my own safety, I just climbed up there.”

With the help of fire crews from Gosport and Fareham, all four children and two adults escaped without serious injury, however a man was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital suffering with a broken ankle.

A spokesman from Hampshire fire and rescue service added: “If they had not had a smoke alarm I very much doubt we would have got all the people out alive.”

Throughout the day police and fire experts were at the scene trying to piece together what exactly happened and have so far confirmed the blaze was the result of an arson attack.

A police spokesman confirmed they have now arrested a man.

“The man who has been arrested will now be questioned by detectives,” he said.

Anyone with information about fire should contact Gosport police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.