TWO flatmates escaped serious burns as they battled to extinguish their blazing flat after a late-night firework attack in Paignton.

The pair managed to extinguish the flames before they took hold in their home on the Queen Elizabeth Drive estate on Thursday night.

Clayton Adams, 35, and his friend, who did not want to be named, were alerted by the 'bang, bang, bang' of the screaming rocket launcher firework which had been set off under their open first-floor kitchen window at 10pm.

The unemployed bricklayer revealed how he managed to grab hold of the flaming curtains and throw them out of the property away from danger.

"My mate was fighting the fire with his back to the curtains. He didn't notice they were alight. I was able to grab them and chuck them through the window," he said after the drama.

He added: "It was lucky we were awake and on the ball. A little old lady would have had no chance. The people who did this could have killed someone."

He was just in time to see at least two people, possibly in their 20s, disappear behind a neighbouring block of flats.

Police say youths had been seen earlier on the estate throwing fireworks at properties.

Officers were satisfied the two fire victims were not deliberately targeted by arsonists.

Acting Sgt Scott Bellingham revealed: "We did have several incidents involving youths playing with fireworks, of which this was the most serious. The matter is being treated as anti-social behaviour rather than deliberate arson."

He said extra patrols would be mounted on the estate over the weekend to 'reassure' residents in the wake of the unidentified offenders' antics.

"This was a case of some stupid children wanting to scare residents with fireworks outside their homes," he explained.

One of the separate spark explosions from the rocket launcher firework travelled straight through the open window and ignited the curtains.

Mr Adams said: "I just ripped the curtains off the rail and threw them out. There was a lot of mess afterwards which has now been cleaned up.

"The fire was out by the time the firefighters arrived. They used their thermal imaging equipment to make sure there were no hot-spots left in the place," he added.

Fire spokesman Nick Bankes-Fay reckoned the consequences could have been 'very serious indeed' if Clayton and his friend had not been around to act so quickly and decisively.

"There is no doubt a serious incident was averted. There was the potential for a lot of damage. It could have been dire," he said.

He added: "The fire could have taken and spread through the three-storey block of flats and endangered the lives of the occupants. Those behind what happened obviously did not think about what might have happened because of their reckless behaviour."

Acting Sgt Bellingham said: "This was a scare tactic more than anything else. But it could still have caused serious problems.

"Those involved should have been aware of the dangers they were causing.

"Lives could have been at risk. It was a pretty stupid thing for anyone to do."

He said inquiries were ongoing to establish the identity of the culprits.