AN ARSONIST who trapped a terrified family in their first-floor flat has avoided prison.

The fire started by Terence Miller was so fierce it melted the telephone line so Michelle Wassell, her two young daughters, Lucy and Katie, and her partner, Kevin Arreghini, could not even phone for help.

The May 13 attack happened when Miller, who lives in Ocean Close, Fareham, had drunk eight or nine pints.

Yesterday at Winchester Crown Court, Miller was ordered to carry out 100 hours' community service and placed on probation for two years, leaving family and friends angry he wasn't jailed.

Mrs Wassell was too upset to speak about the sentence, but Timothy Lake, who owns the flat she lives in and runs the shop underneath it, said he was disgusted.

"It makes a mockery of it - it took all that time to get to court and he only got that. It makes me very angry," he said.

Mr Lake said the family had been through a terrifying ordeal and their suffering had not been taken into account enough

After the sentencing, Det Con Kate Robinson said: "It is fortunate that a tragedy was averted. I would consider this to be a very lucky escape."

She added: "I hope the young man does appreciate his chance in life and takes it with both hands. Perhaps he will not be this fortunate again in the future." Eighteen-year-old Miller pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and arson of the flat and a neighbouring property in Redlands Lane, Fareham.

He set fire to paper in bins and paint underneath the metal fire escape and access to the flat, blocking the family's only way out, before running off without calling the emergency services.

It was only because the doorbell melted in the heat and was ringing constantly that the children woke up and roused their mother, who was beaten back from the door by flames.

But they could not call for help, and it was only thanks to alert neighbours seeing the smoke that the fire and rescue service arrived in time.

They had to put out the fire and cool the steps before rescuing the family, who were found hiding in the kitchen.

Sentencing Miller, Judge John Wade said: "It is only by a whisker that you are averting going to prison.

"Setting fire to anything close to somebody's home or other buildings is an extremely dangerous and stupid thing to do. Such behaviour often leads to tragic, fatal consequences."

But he said Miller had not set fire to the flat itself, had no serious criminal record, came from a disrupted background and would benefit most from a non-custodial sentence.