A teen couple's first home was burned down in a suspected arson attack - just days before they moved in.

Lyla Griffin, 18, and boyfriend Neo Stamp, 19, were gifted a wooden cabin near Yeovil, Somerset, and its land by her father Matty Griffin.

The cabin, which costed £60k, was already kitted with furniture, electronics and sentimental items ready to host the couple.

But in the early hours of Tuesday October 28 an electrician who was passing the property spotted smoke coming from it and notified a neighbour, who got in touch with the family.

At the time of the fire, Lyla was housesitting puppies in Winchester and staying at her grandma's house.

Her dad managed to get to the cabin but it was too late as it was already engulfed in flames.

Matty, 47, groundworker, said: "My brother said that the log cabin was on fire."

It was a big shock at that time in the morning. I can't believe someone would do that.

"Ten minutes I was there. By the time we got there it was just on fire. There was three fire brigades already there. And then it was four fire brigades all together. "

"Thank god my daughter wasn't there. I could have lost my daughter. After that we didn't have insurance and we lost everything. "

"Everything we put into it is gone. All our time all our effort all our money all gone."

Fire crews from Yeovil, Martock, and Somerton fire stations were called to the scene at around 7am. The fire was extinguished after three hours, with crews requesting additional support and equipment to fight the fire.

Lyla said she was expecting to move into the home just after the water was connected on October 21, and had been waiting for the planning permission to come through.

She said: "My grandma told me ‘I've got some bad news for you' and then she told me and then my dad showed me."

"I thought 'oh my baby pictures are in there'. I woke up my boyfriend and we just sat in silence for an hour because we didn't know what to do. "

"I was just confused because I didn't know why someone would do such a thing. I was so sad and it was a let down because we worked so hard and we were so proud to move into it and it just felt like we got set back."

"Not being able to witness it with our own eyes it didn't feel real for two or three days."

The property, which was described as "wooden clad", was completely destroyed, fire crews confirmed."

Matty added that the home was not insured, so his family have lost £60,000 and has little hope of getting it back.

His daughter had also invested over £10k in furniture and electronics.

He added: "She had new cookers, new furniture, everything inside was new. "

"It was her first home with her boyfriend. Everything was going to happen by Christmas. It was going to be a new life for her. "

"It was a gift. I worked very hard to get it."

Lyla said: "My dad paid for it and we were going to pay off slowly because he gifted it to us as a start in life. "

"We didn't want to have it as a gift. We started saving up and started paying him some money towards it. "

Avon and Somerset Police also attended the scene and are investigating a suspected arson attack.

When asked why he thinks this happened, Matty said: "Jealousy, someone wanted the land."

"The camera from the neighbours picked up two torches in the background. "

"They could've been car lights but you can't put your finger on it if you haven't got the truth."

Lyla and her boyfriend are now moving back to her dad's house.

Matty said: "Me and my partner had a six month old baby. "

"We will be crowded in the house now she is coming back in. My baby was going to have her bedroom."

A GoFundMe campaign has been started by Leanne Smith, who said: "I am trying to raise money for my stepdaughter and son-in-law."

"They have both worked very hard to be able to afford their dream property. On the 21st of October, the water was connected, which cost £4,500, and we had planned for them to move in the next day."

"They have lost everything from high-end brand new things down to sentimental baby pictures that can never be replaced. As a family, we have all spent time and money helping transform this property, and we are devastated."

"We are asking for your support and donations to help get them back on their feet, even down to sharing this post, would be appreciated."

https://www.gofundme.com/f/arson-attack-on-young-couples-first-home?ref=ed_direct