Arsonists torched a garden hedge in a housing estate.

Quick-thinking neighbours reported a blaze coming from a garden in Bayard Road in Littlemoor, Weymouth at around 9.30pm on Sunday.

It is believed the fire was started deliberately after piles of garden waste and a hedge went up in flames.

Concerned residents feared the fire would spread to other gardens which backed onto the public alleyway situated between Bayard Road and Brisbane Road.

Resident Mark Lears, 43, who lives on Brisbane Road, spotted flames rising over his garden fence from his kitchen window.

He said: “Someone must have gone into the alleyway and set the bottom of the garden on fire. With it all being wood and greenery it would have caught fire quickly.

“I reported it and it took fire services around 20 minutes to arrive.

“Our garden fence started steaming with heat, we were really worried.

“Me and my son got a hosepipe out and tried to help.”

A spokesman for Dorset Fire and Rescue service said they received a report of the fire at 9.30pm.

“A crew from Weymouth Fire station extinguished a small fire involving garden waste and a hedge. The blaze was put out using one hose reel.”

Another resident David Hampton, of Brisbane Road, also reported the blaze after spotting the flames from his window.

He said: “Me and Mark must have called the fire service within minutes. If we hadn’t who knows what would have happened.”

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “It is believed the fire was started deliberately.

“We received a call at 9.58pm from Dorset Fire and Rescue after a hedge was set alight.

“We would like any witnesses or anyone with information to call Dorset Police on 101.”