A Hayes man has been jailed for six years after admitting setting fire to a block of flats in Ealing in a jealous rage.

Adrian Harrison, 37, of Bushey Road, Hayes, started the fire in the block in Hanger Lane on July 17 after his girlfriend had dumped him the day before.

A 92-year-old woman, two other pensioners and their four-year-old grandson all spent 24-hours in hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after being rescued from the inferno which targeted Patricia Johnson.

At Isleworth Crown Court on Friday Iain Thompson, who is in his 60s, was handed £1,000 from the public fund for helping rescue his elderly neighbours "with no regard for his own safety".

The fire was so ferocious that it destroyed Patricia Johnson's bedroom and most of her flat, including the ceiling and floor of the pensioners' flat above hers.

Harrison, who had been dumped the day before, was caught on a nearby petrol-station's CCTV filling a petrol can and walking towards the house, said prosecutor Helen Cruikshank.

She told the court the fire he started at around 4.30 am, when the neighbours were asleep, caused more than £65,000 worth of damage to the Shepherds Bush Housing Association property.

She said: "Unhappily this incident arose out of the defendant being unable to come to terms with his former partner, Ms Johnson, resurrecting a relationship with her former boyfriend.

"On July 16 she decided to terminate the relationship and went back to her former partner so was not in the flat she shared with two of her daughters that night.

"During that evening she received a number of intimidating and abusive text messages from the defendant, saying he was at the flat waiting for her.”

At around 4.20am Mr Thompson was woken by the fire an called the fire brigade, before waking his wife and grandson and shepherding them to safety.

Ms Cruikshank continued: “He acted in an extremely brave and courageous manner. He knew his 92 year-old neighbour was in the next flat and he found her in the communal area asking for help.

"He went into her flat and her took her out onto the verandah. He could see his wife and grandson on the neighbouring verandah and the fire brigade had to get them all down by ladder.

“He is a pensioner and his actions were quite remarkable.”

Ms Johnson's dog, a Staffordshire terrier, died in the blaze.

When caught by police Harrison claimed he was being framed, but when shown the CCTV he said: “This doesn't look good for me”.

Defence counsel, Roderick Jones, said the damage was "mostly emotional to family and physical to the property, but we are blessed with the fact there have been no physical injuries save the loss of the family pet”.

He also said the relationship had been “fragile and volatile”, and Harrison was abusing alcohol and crack-cocaine.

Jailing him, Judge Hezlett Colgan said: "What you did on that day was to set fire to the interior of your former lover's flat. It was your intention to cause her hurt and distress and in that you succeeded.

"You planned it by going to a filling station and arming yourself with the materials, out of revenge because she had left you for a former boyfriend.

“As a result of that fire her flat was destroyed as were all her belongings and her pet dog.

“You caused fear and distress to the other occupants who included a 92 year-old woman. Not only that, they were taken to hospital suffering from smoke-inhalation, and kept there for 24 hours.

“This has had a devastating effect on the victim, her daughter and the other tenants.”