A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who pushed a firework through a letterbox was yesterday warned that he should expect a custodial sentence.

The teenager was found guilty of arson and recklessly endangering life after he sparked a blaze at the house in Marrick Avenue, Darlington, as a woman, her two children and young sister slept upstairs.

Darlington Youth Court yesterday dismissed his claims that he had been bullied into doing it by a group of boys.

Lyndsey Price, 22, her children Josh, five, and three-year-old Ebony, and her sister Nicola, 12, were woken by neighbours shouting warnings. All four escaped unharmed.

Magistrates delayed sentencing until April 1, but warned the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, that his crime was so serious he should expect to be locked up.

The boy had denied the charge, claiming he acted under duress and was "tipsy" after drinking beer.

He claimed he was playing with fireworks outside a friend's house when he was approached by a gang of eight youths at about 10.30pm on Saturday, October 22.

They ordered him to push a firework through the letterbox of a house they said was empty, he said. Later, he told a friend what he had done.

Sheila Moore, prosecuting, said he initially lied to police about his involvement.

The youth claimed he acted out of fear, saying: "I didn't want to do it, but I was quite frightened when they said they were going to bray me, so I did. I didn't sleep that night. I was scared. I thought: 'I'm going to get sent down for a long, long time'."

Martin Towers, mitigating, said the boy did not realise the consequences of his actions.

He said: "This was a young boy being naughty, mucking around, and behaving very foolishly."

In a statement, Ms Price said: "I am aware this could have killed me and I do not know how long it will take my family to get over this."