Arsonists firebombed a funeral director's business in the latest in a string of attacks.

Andy and Melanie Derriman fear they are victims of a vendetta after the second attack in two days and the latest in five years.

Howard Blackford, 68, and Jenny Noel, 53, who live in the flat above Derriman and Haynes funeral directors, in Ladies Mile Road, Patcham, Brighton, had to flee for their lives.

Vandals have previously smashed windows, slashed tyres and firebombed an ambulance used to carry bodies. Windows were smashed the night before the firebombing.

In the latest incident, at 2.30am on Saturday, arsonists stuffed paper through the letterbox and set it ablaze, damaging the front reception room.

Mr Derriman, 47, a former London policeman, said: "We were firebombed a few years ago and now it has started again. But this latest attack went too far. It endangered lives.

"If the couple living above hadn't woken up, who knows what would have happened?"

The Derrimans have vowed to carry on. Mr Derriman said: "We won't let anyone put us out of business.

"We will carry on regardless. We are resilient people and have had already been offered so much support from the community."