POLICE cordoned off a street when a man started throwing slates from a rooftop - and then battled a blaze as the house went up in flames.
Officers were called to St John's Road, Cudworth, on Saturday night and managed to coax the man down.
Minutes later smoke and flames were seen in the roof space and police attempted to put out the blaze before the fire brigade arrived. As the fire took hold neighbours were evacuated and it took fire-fighters about an hour to put out.
A man, 20, was arrested and questioned on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
