An arsonist who caused more than £1m of damage by blowing up the converted Victorian house he lived in has been jailed for seven years.

Dean Ramsay set fire to his flat in Oliver Grove and let it take hold before calmly walking to nearby South Norwood police station and turning himself in.

The resulting explosion devastated the entire building, with neighbouring homes needing to be evacuated as the house was left structurally unsafe.

Three people, including a young child, were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service suffering from smoke inhalation.

The explosion also exposed two of Croydon’s biggest benefit cheats living in the same house as Ramsay, who were rumbled when they appealed to the council for new homes.

Ramsay was initially remanded at a secure unit for assessment before being charged with arson with intent to endanger life on October 12 last year.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of arson at Croydon Crown Court on March 18.

Detective Sergeant Kenny Windsor, from Croydon CID, said: “Ramsay clearly had little regard for the safety of his neighbours when he started the fire last September. “The potential loss of life is unthinkable and it’s a sheer miracle nobody was killed.

“His actions not only endangered life, but left three families homeless having lost most of their possessions. His actions also temporarily displaced dozens of other neighbours and caused in excess of £1m of damage.”