A family has been left homeless after a bungalow on the Greentown Road at Florencecourt was destroyed in an arson attack in the early hours of Sunday morning.

There was no-one in the property at the time and no-one was injured.

Minutes later and a short distance away a car stolen from outside the burning bungalow was abandoned and set on fire beside a house on the Marble Arch Road.

There were people in the house at the time and a man living there managed to contain the flames until the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service arrived and extinguished the blaze.

Detective Inspector Brian Foster, who is leading the inquiry into the twin arson attacks, confirmed that police are investigating a link between the two incidents.

Appealing to the public for help, he stressed that any information received would be treated in the strictest confidence.

It was shortly after 5am on Sunday that police were alerted to the fire at the bungalow on the Greentown Road, a quiet country road at Florencecourt. The family that lives there was away for a couple of days over the Bank Holiday weekend and no-one was at home at the time.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Enniskillen, Irvinestown and Lisnaskea attended the blaze.

“Extra resources were required to ferry water over a distance of two miles for fire-fighting,” it explained.

“The cause of the fire appeared deliberate,” it added.

Forensic tests are on-going to establish how the fire was started. However, police believe it was malicious.

A Mercedes car which was parked beside the bungalow was stolen.

Around 5.30am it was abandoned and set on fire beside a house a short distance away on the Marble Arch Road.

A man living there managed to contain the blaze until a fire crew arrived and extinguished the flames. The house was not damaged.

Police are still trying to establish a motive for the arson attacks and say every line of inquiry is open.

Detective Inspector Foster appealed to anyone with information to contact CID at Enniskillen Police Station on the non-emergency number 101.

“Or, if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111,” he added.