In a terrifying act of arson, a woman and her young son were compelled to evacuate their home amidst fears that a blazing car would ignite their residence. The shocking incident unfolded in the early hours of September 6 in Littleborough, Greater Manchester.
The local police have now released video footage in hopes of tracking down the culprits. Authorities suspect that these arsonists were acting on behalf of someone else. The dramatic footage reveals the frightening moment when Luanne Gill’s Land Rover Discovery was set ablaze on her driveway around 1:15 a.m.
As flames soared perilously close to the roof, the 35-year-old mother and her 10-year-old son were forced to make a hasty escape from their home on Cleggswood Avenue. The inferno left scorch marks on the front of the house, a stark reminder of the night’s events.
According to reports, the perpetrators arrived in a vehicle thought to be a Peugeot 3008 from the 2008-2016 model years. At least one accomplice waited in another car nearby, ready to facilitate their quick getaway.
The video captures the moment the hooded offenders approached the driveway. In a swift and calculated move, they shattered the car’s window and used an accelerant to set it on fire, igniting a scene of chaos and fear.
The pair of hooded criminals are seen approaching the driveway of the address before breaking the window of the car and using an accelerant to ignite it.
The car was left destroyed, but thankfully the flames did not fully take hold of the home, which was left with a scorched front and windows from the attack.
The vehicle then fled in the direction of Hollingworth Road and could have made for West Yorkshire or Lancashire, police believe.
Ring doorbell footage captures two of the suspects smashing the car windows, before setting it alight and making away in another waiting vehicle
Luanne, 35, (pictured) said the arson attack outside her home has left her unable to sleep and ‘haunted’
Pictured: the car believed to belong to the suspects behind the arson attack in Littleborough. It is believed to be a Peugeot 3008 (2008-2016 model)
Officers currently believe it was a targeted attack with no wider threat to the community.
Ms Gill and her son managed to escape without injury, although the arson attack has left the mother terrified, saying: ‘Every time I see a car outside the house I panic – thinking it is them’.
Luanne Gill told Manchester Evening News: ‘It was so fast. The fire had spread to the house by the time the fire service arrived.
‘The front living room windows were melted and smashed. My little boy’s room is directly above where the car was and his windows were blown through as well. The front door was damaged and the window of my daughter’s bedroom.
‘Both my son and myself are living in fear now. Roman had the pleasure of playing for Manchester City Academy last week and a car alarm went off as we were walking back and he just froze and panicked.’
Luanne added that she has been left ‘haunted’ by the attack and is ‘too terrified to sleep’.
In the days following the incident, officers arrested a man, aged 42, on suspicion of stalking and conspiracy to commit arson. He was bailed pending further enquiries.
Detective Constable Mel Jeffery, from GMP’s Rochdale district, said: ‘We have released the 999 call and footage to quite simply show the sheer terror involved in such a vile attack.
Emergency services responded to the scene in Littleborough, Greater Manchester, where the flames had engulfed the vehicle and scorched the front of the house
‘We have seen these sort of attacks across the country and indeed in Greater Manchester over recent years resulting in serious injuries and deaths – we are very, very fortunate that we are not talking about more serious consequences here.
‘While we made an arrest and have undertaken extensive enquiries since September, we still need further information to continue to progress the investigation, and I would urge anyone with any information to get in touch.
‘This could be the smallest amount of information or something you may have seen or overheard – we would greatly appreciate if people can get in touch, either directly or anonymously.’
If you have information, you can contact police via 101 or their Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 205 of 06/09/25.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
