A FRIGHTENED pensioner and her furious son today blasted arsonists who could have burned her to death through an idiotic prank.

Today the 88-year-old disabled woman and her son told how yobs torched their car, only inches away from their bungalow.

Margaret Snowden and her son, John, said they were rescued after "angel" neighbours raised the alarm and called the fire brigade. The drama outfolded outside Mrs Snowden's home in Huntington, York.

Heat from the blazing wreck cracked a window, melted guttering and scorched fascia boarding, but John said the whole bungalow could easily have gone up in smoke - with them inside.

Now Mrs Snowden has been left stranded in her own home until they can find a replacement car.

The pensioner contacted The Press to thank neighbours and firefighters for helping her cope with the frightening incident. "God bless you all," she said.

But she also wanted to ask if those responsible for all the heartache would like the same thing to happen to their own parents.

Mrs Snowden said the Peugeot, which was used by her son to take her to the shops, hospital appointments and the doctor, had been parked in her drive.

Police said the car was set alight with fireworks after a door was forced.

"It appears to have been arson," said a spokesman, adding that no one had yet been arrested in connection with the attack.

John, who was staying with his mother at the time, and has done so since the incident, said: "Everything happened so quickly. I was in the house, and heard a bang. I went outside and saw the passenger-side door pulled back, and they had obviously thrown something into the car. A wire might have shorted, because then it began to roll down towards the bungalow.

"The fire was just a foot away from the house. My mum could have burned to death in there. It was just lucky that I heard the bang. The fire brigade were there within minutes, and thank goodness they were, because things could have been a lot worse. If it had been much longer I'm sure the bungalow would have caught fire. It's horrendous when you think what could have happened.

"My mum was really frightened. She was so shocked by it all she didn't know anything about it the following day. She hasn't been out of the house since it happened."

Mrs Snowden, who suffers from osteoporosis and arthritis, said: "I would like to say a big thank you to my neighbours Bill and Janet Sellers, as well as Cath, because without them I couldn't have coped. They were wonderful."

The incident happened on November 4, otherwise known as Mischief Night. The Press reported how firefighters spent the evening dealing with more than 30 firework-related incidents. One crew even came under attack from yobs firing rockets as they battled a different car blaze in nearby New Earswick.