Petrol bomb attack: Hunt for suspects continues a year on

POLICE say they have "insufficient evidence" to bring whoever petrol bombed a home in Yorkshire one year ago to justice.

The community on Wordsworth Avenue, Parson Cross, Sheffield, was enjoying a peaceful evening on March 21, 2023, when two cars arrived at the city neighbourhood at 8.54pm.

Within seconds, a two-storey home was ablaze, putting four people's lives at risk and leaving the house gutted.

South Yorkshire Police has confirmed the force has been unable to prosecute anyone over the attack. Footage shows how, at 8.54pm on March 21, 2023, a car arrived outside the home on Wordsworth Avenue. Seconds later, the second storey was set ablaze by an explosion.

A man then sprinted down the street in the direction of Donovan Road and appeared to bang on the rear window of a moving car, then ran back up again towards the home and disappearing from sight. The car then drove away at high speed.

Another man also crashed into rear-driver's side door of a parked white car, which sped away. In the following days, police arrested two men – aged 29 and 31 at the time – on suspicion of arson endangering life.

Now, however, South Yorkshire Police has confirmed: "No further action was taken against the suspects due to insufficient evidence."

At the time, neighbours told of how they looked out their windows to see smoke "billowing out of the house". They heard "a lot of screaming" as the fire quickly spread to the entire property.

Within minutes of the explosion, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene, with firefighters rescuing two people from inside – a seven-year-old girl and a 47-year-old woman.

Two men reportedly got themselves out of the house.

One of them leapt from a secondstorey window.

In the days that followed, a 42-year-old man, a 47-year-old woman called Helen and her six-year-old daughter, Destiny, remained in hospital receiving treatment.

The family’s two pet dogs – a Japanese Akita and an American Bully – died in the blaze.

One woman told how she and her neighbours rushed to help the people inside.

She said: "There was a loud bang and an explosion. The house caught fire immediately. We were not even able to go inside and get them out ourselves.”

Another neighbour said: "We’re all traumatized. I feel so sorry for the people who live there and what they’ve been through."

Anyone who believes they can help police bring the offenders in the firebombing to justice can contact South Yorkshire Police by calling 101.