PENSIONER Geoff McCormack said yesterday he was lucky to be alive after arsonists set fire to the porch of his semi-detached house.

Mr McCormack, 65, was asleep in his bedroom above the porch when the attack occurred shortly before midnight on Sunday night.

The father-of-two, a retired journalist, was woken up by the smell of smoke and by two teenagers shouting outside his house in Catmore Close, Grove.

Mr McCormack called the fire service and escaped through the back door with his two cats.

The pensioner, who has suffered three heart attacks, has lived in the street for the past 23 years.

He said: “I could have died because I had taken a sleeping tablet and there was no battery in my smoke alarm.

“I want to thank the two lads who were outside my house, who helped me to throw water into the porch.

“Someone must have put something through the letterbox to start the fire and the police forensics team and fire investigators are looking into it.”

Mr McCormack was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. The fire damaged the porch, and house contents including carpets, tiles and a mirror.

Det Con John Ablett, of Thames Valley Police, said: “We are treating this matter very seriously.

“This fire could have quickly spread to the rest of the house and if it had not been for the quick thinking of the neighbours then we could be dealing with a tragedy.”

Witnesses or anyone with information should contact Det Con Ablett at Abingdon CID on 08458 505505, or call the Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.