London, Mar 12 (IANS): A crazed arsonist targeting former UK Prime Minister David Cameron burned down the latter's neighbours house with a Molotov cocktail, a media report said on Thursday.

The attacker on Monday was thought to have travelled almost 60 miles to the Cotswolds village where the former Prime Minister lives, The Sun newspaper said in the report on Wednesday.

But he hurled his firebomb into the wrong property, a chocolate box cottage yards away from Cameron's five-bedroom Victorian home, according to the report.

A blaze ripped through the house, which is owned by an 81-year-old woman who had moved out last year to live with relatives.

A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson. He was released under investigation but detained under the Mental Health Act.

Responding to the attack, Cameron told The Sun: "It's terrible. They've had a fire engine here for the last couple of days. I was not home on Monday night when it happened, I came down as soon as I heard.

"It is a huge relief that it was empty and no one was hurt. This is now being pursued by the police and so it wouldn't be right to comment any further."

Cameron, who was Prime Minister between 2010 and 2016, and his wife Samantha have owned the sprawling home since 2001.

The couple resides in the house along with their three children.