A mum has hit out at callous yobs who burned her autistic son’s playhouse to the ground.

Elliott Hough, five, who is unable to speak because of his condition, has been left devastated after arsonists struck in the garden of his home on Wenlock Close, Macclesfield.

Elliot burst into tears when he learned someone had set fire to the equipment in the early hours of Saturday morning.

His family had built the playhouse after he was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay – meaning he is behind other children of his age – to give him his own space to play in. The blaze also caused irreparable damage to many of his favourite outdoor toys.

Police have launched an arson probe after the fire at the Ivy Bank Primary School pupil’s home on Wenlock Close, Macclesfield.

His furious mum Simone has slammed the yobs behind the attack.

The single mum of four said: “Whoever has done this is an awful, awful person. Elliott has been devastated by the fire. He can’t understand why anyone would do something like this. It’s very difficult to know what to say to a little boy when something so bad happens.”

Simone was woken at 2am by the fire which had engulfed the playhouse in her front garden.

The two crews from Macclesfield fire station attended and put out a blaze.

Fire investigators now believe the fire was started deliberately.

Elliott Hough, five, with Mum Simone and the charred remains of his Wendy house and toys

She said: “Elliott is a lovely little boy and is happy. But he cannot speak and has Global Developmental Delay which means that he is behind other children his age. I built the playhouse to give him his own space to play. He is always in there and loves it.

“When I looked out the window I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. At first we thought, because of the lightning, that was what had caused it. But now we have been told it was done on purpose. I’m so angry.

“No one else in the neighbourhood was affected which makes me feel like we were targeted which is scary.”

Police confirmed that at 2.14am on Saturday, July 4 they received reports of a fire outside a house on Wenlock Close in Macclesfield. A spokesman said: “Officers arrived to find a wooden playhouse alight at the front of the house. Colleagues from Cheshire Fire & Rescue were in attendance to extinguish the fire, which did not spread to the main property. The fire officer believes it to have been a malicious ignition and police are now investigating. Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area around that time is urged to call police on 101, quoting incident 109 of 4 July 2015. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”