Firebombers ‘may have been mistaken’ in attack on grandmother

A GRANDMOTHER fighting for her life in hospital after her house was firebombed may have been the victim of mistaken identity, police have said.

Detectives are keeping an ‘open mind’ over the motive for the attack, which left the woman, who is in her 60s, badly hurt.

She was left with severe burns following the suspected arson attack.

Fire crews were scrambled to Montreal Street, in Leigh, just before 12.30am on Tuesday.

It is understood the woman was downstairs watching TV when two men smashed her living room window and threw bottles containing an unknown accelerant inside. They then ran away, police said. Neighbours rushed to help the woman, taking her into her front garden.

They used fire extinguishers to put out the flames which had engulfed her body, police said.

A man who lives nearby rushed to the woman’s aid following the attack. Describing the ordeal, he said: “She was on the floor, rolling over. The inside of the window was in flames.”

By the time ambulance crews arrived the fire was out. The woman was then taken to hospital with serious burns.

Her husband, who was also in the home at the time, escaped unhurt.

No arrests have been made, police said.

Supt Steve Keeley described the incident as an ‘horrendous and cowardly attack’ and urged anyone with information to come forward. Call police on 101.