ARSONISTS have attacked the home of an elderly couple.

Alfred Lees was woken by a large explosion as fire engulfed his garage.

It destroyed his car and thousands of pounds worth of tools.

Today his wife Alma branded the firebugs as "sick."

The garage, which doubled as a workshop, was set alight at 2.30am on Wednesday at the rear of the family home in Greenfold Avenue, Farnworth.

Mrs Lees said: "We have lived here for more than 50 years and I can't believe why anyone would do this.

"Whoever did this is just sick. I am so upset and shocked. They have destroyed everything."

Crews from Farnworth fire station spent an 90 minutes tackling the blaze, which they described as well alight when they got there.

The heat was so intense it damaged a shed on the other side of the garden, together with a neighbour's roof and fencing.

Mrs Lees said: "The flames were so high, I have never seen anything like it.

"I would ask parents to stop their children from doing things like this and tell them what something like this does to people.

"My husband used the garage as a workshop to carry out work around the house and the garden. The garden is ruined and his tools destroyed. It is horrible."

Mr Lees, aged 84, played for Wanderers twice in the 1947-48 season, alongside Nat Lofthouse and Tommy Banks.

Neighbours in the close-knit community comforted the couple.

Helen Amos, aged 45, said: "You do not expect something like this to happen here. This fire was deliberate and whoever did this must have known what damage it caused."

A spokesman at Farnworth fire station said: "The fire is being treated as having been started deliberately because of the time it broke out.

"The couple were OK, although Mrs Lees was given oxygen and was suffering from slight shock. The police were called and are now investigating."

Sgt Ian Brammer, of Bolton Police, said: "This is an unusual crime because it was committed against an elderly couple and the motive at this stage is unclear.

"We are appealing for anybody who may have seen something unusual in that area to get in touch with us."

Anybody with information should contact police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.