Two youths who pushed a lighted firework into a home where a family was sleeping, walked free from court today.

The pair were ordered to carry out community service despite being convicted of reckless arson at the house in Ramsay Road, Headington, Oxford, which was severely damaged by fire.

The family only escaped because of a smoke alarm.

Neighbours criticised the sentence and said it sent out the wrong message.

Oxford City footballer Lewis Colwell, 18, and Jamie Matthews, 19, were ordered by the judge to each pay the family £5,000 compensation for the damage caused.

David Norbrook, his wife and two children, were asleep in their home on Halloween last year when the duo struck.

The rocket firework, which the pair pushed through their letterbox, flew around the family's kitchen causing a blaze.

Mr Norbrook wrote a letter to the court saying he bore no ill-feelings for the attack. But the family has still not moved back into their home more than nine months after the attack.

Matthews and Colwell had been setting off fireworks in a park with friends when they came up with the idea of putting one through a letterbox, the judge at Reading Crown Court heard.

A jury at an earlier hearing at Oxford Crown Court were told Colwell had lit the rocket and Matthews put it through the letterbox.

Colwell, of Downside Road, Headington, was convicted of reckless arson last month, a charge Matthews admitted. They were both acquitted of the more serious charge of arson with intent to endanger life.

Jeannie Mackie, defending Colwell, described the incident as "a prank."

She said: "My client's position is one of great remorse."

Peter du Feu, defending Matthews, of Manor Farm Road, Horspath, said his client also wanted to apologise.

Judge Bruce McIntyre sentenced the pair to pay compensation and observe a curfew between 9pm and 6am for six months. He ordered Colwell to carry out 300 hours unpaid work and Matthews 240 hours.

After the hearing, neighbour Patrick Neil, 59, of Ramsay Road, said: "This is appalling. This family were close to being killed. What kind of message does this send out to criminals?

"To call it a prank is a disgrace."