A TERRIFIED mum told how she was thrown off a bridge by a mystery thug — days after maniacs firebombed her home as she slept.
Emma Lauder, 32, was ambushed as she walked to a friend’s house days after she and her ten-year-old daughter had to flee their burning home at 1am.
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Cops probing the sinister attacks are treating the blaze as attempted murder.
Emma, of Fort William, Inverness-shire, said “Someone is trying to kill me.”
The 32-year-old and schoolgirl Kia, 10, lost their beloved pooch in last Friday’s horror blaze which destroyed their home in Fort William and caused neighbours to be evacuated.
It came after what Emma claims were weeks of threats from another family including sinister text messages and the words ‘You’re dead’ scrawled on the property.
Police have launched a separate probe into allegations Emma was thrown off a bridge by a mystery attacker days after the fire.
The disturbing incidents came just weeks after Emma lost an unborn baby amid ongoing stress.
The mum told last night of how she managed to escape the inferno with her daughter – despite floorboards collapsing behind her.
The boxing gym coach said: “The first thing that came into my mind was ‘I can’t breathe, I’m going to die’.
“I had to run through the fire as quickly as I could to get to Kia’s room.
“I didn’t wrap myself up in anything, I just ran through the flames.
“And then I sort of patted myself really quickly. I was screaming at Kia to get up.
“That is when the bannisters and floorboards started coming down.
“I had just got down to her in time or we wouldn’t have got out together.”
Emma and Kia had settled down on her new couch to watch a movie last Saturday night just hours before the fire ordeal.
Kia went to her bed at around 10pm and mum Emma fell asleep on the sofa before the blaze woke her just before 1am.
At least two thugs were spotted in the area at the time with cops appealing for help to trace them.
It’s feared the fire was started at the front door.
She added: “I could see flames covering the hall.
“I opened the window so I couldn’t breathe.
“I couldn’t see a thing, all I could see were the bright flames from the fire.
“I was absolutely traumatised – someone tried to kill us.
“My daughter has been crying the past few night’s worrying if they are going to come back.
“She’s worried about the safety of our family too – she thinks they’re going to die.
“There were people outside. I was screaming for help, and I could hear them.”
After they escaped, Kia went to a neighbour’s house as Emma screamed at bystanders to get her a ladder so she could try to re-enter the property to save her white collie dog.
Days later, the distraught gym boss “couldn’t speak properly” due to smoke inhalation and was rushed to hospital.
White collie Alfie didn’t survive the fire and tragically his remains are still in the burnt-out property.
Emma added: “I can’t believe my dog is in there dead – somebody has murdered my dog.
“They couldn’t save it as it was too dangerous to enter the house.”
Devastatingly for Emma, she is being targeted just months after her unborn baby died five months into pregnancy.
And in the early hours of Wednesday – days after the fire – Emma was walking to visit a pal’s home when she was attacked and thrown from a footbridge.
Recalling the ordeal, she said: “I heard someone shouting my name and I thought it was my mate.
“But next thing they came running and chucked me off a bridge.
“It wasn’t too high but I sprained my ankle and suffered cuts and bruises.
“They shone a torch on me to check what condition I was in then ran off.
“I’ve reported it to police and was checked over by an ambulance.
“I’m convinced someone is out to get me and is trying to kill me.”
FUNDRAISER FOR FAMILY
By Jordan Tennant
Emma hailed the community spirit after locals rallied round and launched a fundraiser on their behalf.
A Good Samaritan is urging locals to help raise £7,000 for the mother and daughter who have lost everything.
The GoFundMe page reads: “We can only imagine the pain and suffering they must feel.
“They did not deserve any of this to happen to them.
“These events have absolutely traumatised the family, Kia has lost her best friend Alfie and this is something they have to live with for the rest of their lives.”
Emma last night hailed the town for their kind words and generous donations.
She said: “I literally don’t have anything, no clothes, absolutely nothing.
“People have been donating stuff to me and my daughter.
“The town has really come together, they’re in an absolute rage about this.”
Click HERE to donate.
She added: “The last few months have been absolutely horrendous, it’s been the worst few months of my life.
“I can’t sleep for worrying.
“I’ve been told the house will never be lived in again and will be knocked down – everything we had is in there and it’s gone.
“I just want my dog back, it’s absolutely killing me not having him.
“I’ve tried to enter the house a few times to get him but have been stopped.
The mum and daughter are currently living with Emma’s dad until temporary accommodation is arranged.
Detective Inspector Andy Bilton said: “Whoever is responsible showed complete disregard for the safety of the woman and a girl who were within the property.
“Luckily no-one was injured however the consequences of this dangerous and reckless act could have been much more serious.
“If there are people in the local area with information that could assist or if you recognise the descriptions of the men given, please contact us. It is imperative to our investigation that anyone who saw anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, gets in touch as soon as possible.”
One suspect was wearing two-tone trousers with dark-coloured patches over the knees and a hooded top.
Another man was wearing a dark coloured jacket, baseball cap and shorts.
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