Mum and her six children rendered homeless after stranger torched her house in Milton Keynes

Danielle Jauncey has told how she and her two youngest children are lucky to have survived the bizarre arson attack on Monday.

She has also described how MK Council has refused to rehouse her, saying it is the responsibility of her private landlady - who does not have any more properties.

The attack caused so much smoke and fire damage that the terraced house, in Temple, Stantonbury, cannot be lived in, said the 29-year-old. She and her children, including her two sets of twins, are now scattered around several different relatives and friends.

"My children are in a terrible state. Even if the house was habitable, they wouldn't go in there as they're terrified the arsonist will strike again," she said.

The terror began in the middle of Monday afternoon when Danielle noticed a strange man peering through the glass window on her front door.

"He had both hands up to the glass and his face pressed to it. I opened the door and said 'Excuse me, can I help you?' He said something about having the wrong address and I just said 'no worries' and closed the door, thinking that was the end of it."

But 10 minutes later she heard a thud and then smelled burning. Her front door was ablaze and it is suspected something covered in flammable liquid had been put through the letterbox.

Daniellie grabbed her 10-month-old baby and her two-year-old daughter Phoebe and fled into the back garden as the flames spread.

"But I was trapped in the garden. There's been a pile of dumped rubbish outside the gate for ages that meant we can't get out. I've complained to the council about it loads of times, but they've never moved it."

As the flames spread, a passer-by heard her screams and forced his way through the now smoke-logged house to reach her.

"He picked up me and my two little ones and battled through all the rubbish and carried us down the alleyway. He was an absolute hero but I don't even know his name. I'd love to thank him."

Meanwhile neighbours fetched water to pour over the flames before the fire engine arrived,

Danielle's other children, twins Jenson and Baileigh aged seven, Ashden, 11 and Pheobe's twin Harley, were out with her partner on the school run at the time. They returned to find their home devastated.

"Everything is damaged by smoke. There's no way we can live in it - there's not even a front door. Baileigh has chronic lung disease because he was born 10 week premature - I dare not let him anywhere near the place," she said.

"We've had to split up and stay with friends and relatives and anyone who can have us. The children aare traumatised and terrified this man will come back."

The three-bedroomed house is privately rented and the landlady has no other properties to give to Danielle while extensive repairs are being carried out.

"I called MK Council, thinking they would be sympathetic and help us. They just said the house was privately rented so it was my landlady's responsibility. I told them we were homeless but they didn't seem to care. I just feel so let down, helpless and scared," she said.

Danielle says she had previously spoken repeatedly to the housing department about being rehomed due to overcrowding.

"They've never helped. One housing official even said to me 'Well, you shouldn't have had so many children'," she said.

The Citizen has tonight spoken to leading Labour councillors and they have promised to take action.

Council leader Pete Marland said: "I am sorry to hear of this issue. I've asked the council's head of homelessness to call Danielle and discuss the case."

Meanwhile, concerned friends have set up a fundraising page to buy clothes and bedding and other essentials for the family. You can donate here .

Police are appealing for witnesses to the arson attack. The offender is described as a white man, around 5ft 5ins tall, average build, with short light brown messy hair and wearing a face mask. He was wearing blue tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the leg and a white jumper.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Jason Simpson said: “This was a frightening experience for the victim and their family who were fortunately uninjured."

Anyone with information should call 101 or make a report online using the reference 43200321617.