Children needed medical attention after the second of two deliberately started fires at a block of flats on Tuesday morning.

The tenement in Court Street, Dundee, was the scene for two emergency call-outs which firefighters said "could easily have resulted in tragedy."

An adult and three children were checked for smoke inhalation after the second of the emergencies at around 4.30am.

Firefighters used a ladder to rescue three people from first-floor flats and four others were led to safety once the fire had been extinguished and toxic smoke cleared from the close. A fire in the bin recess caused the call-out at 4.30am.

Earlier, crews arrived around 1.45am to find two wheelie bins and a roll of carpet on fire at the front entrance to the close.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have appealed for people to help protect their communities from the reckless, criminal behaviour.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service group manager Martin Tait, the lead officer in Dundee, said: "We are extremely lucky that no one was seriously injured.

"Deliberate fires are incredibly dangerous and everyone needs to understand that these incidents could have resulted in absolutely devastating consequences, including the tragic loss of life.

"Those responsible for starting fires have no idea how they will develop or who will be affected, they are endangering lives and need to ask if they could live with themselves if someone was killed because of their actions.

"Even a small fire involving rubbish can rapidly spread and the smoke produced will very quickly travel throughout a building.

"It blocks the escape route, leaves people trapped in their homes, causes significant damage to property and can be an absolutely terrifying experience even if serious injury is avoided."

Specialist officers from the Fire Investigation Unit are working with police to establish the circumstances surrounding the fires and help identify those responsible for setting them.

Anyone with information regarding deliberate fires is urged to contact Police Scotland by calling 101 or share it anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Firefighters will visit homes in the vicinity on Tuesday to provide advice to residents on how to reduce the risk of deliberately-started fires endangering their homes and those inside.