An arsonist has been jailed for carrying out a bizarre series of paramilitary style attacks on cars and homes in a quiet residential street.

Connor Osiris was wearing combat gear and a gas mask and had a machete tucked into his waistband as he set light to two cars, a shed and a model railway.

A brave resident rugby tackled him and neighbours came out of their homes at 5am to help detain him until the police and fire service arrived.

Budding actor Osiris, aged 20, had taken a large amount of valium before he carried out the attacks on four homes in the street where he lived in Newton Abbot, Devon, last June.

Residents were awoken by the sounds of cars bursting into flames and businessman Mark Reece, aged 57, ended the arson spree by dragging Osiris to the ground.

He was splattered in petrol during the process and feared he would be set on fire by one of several lighters which Osiris was carrying.

Osiris is a former student and would-be actor who was working as a painter and decorator. He had changed his surname from Bunyard and adopted the name of the Egyptian god of death.

He had no grudges against his neighbours and the reason for his rampage remains a mystery despite reports from two psychiatrists and a probation officer.

He caused thousands of pounds of damage, writing off a nearly new Peugeot 308 and a Proton car, both of which were burned out despite their owners’ attempts to save them with a fire extinguisher and hose.

Osiris, of Seymour Road, Newton Abbot, admitted four counts of arson, in two of which he was reckless about endangering life and one of possession of a bladed article.

He was jailed for a total of three years and three months by Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: ‘These are serious offences and the consequences could have been far more serious than they were. They had a substantial effect on residents and I have read their victim statements.

‘Why did you do it? You haven’t made it easy for people to answer that question. You accept you had taken a considerable amount of valium.

‘The extreme nature of what you did and all I have read about you cause me real concern for the future. There is more work to be done. There are deep waters which have not been fully addressed.’

Mr Joss Ticehurst, prosecuting, said all the offences took place around 5am on June 27 last year, as it was getting light.

Osiris started at one end of the street, where he tried to sabotage a surveillance camera before setting light to the Peugeot on a drive.

He stole a doorbell and set light to the Proton on another drive before moving into the garden of number 22, where be torched a model railway in the garden and set four fires, one of which damaged the shed.

Mr Ticehurst said Mr Reece was woken by the sound of fires and car alarms and intercepted Osiris as he came out of the garden, carrying a petrol can and lighter.

He said: ‘The man was wearing camouflage, army style clothing with a gas mask over his face. He had the canister on one hand and a lighter in the other.

‘Mr Reece made an attempt to stop him. Osiris flung the can away causing some of the petrol to fall on Mr Reece, who was understandably scared.

‘He rugby tackled the defendant to the ground and other local residents helped him restrain him until the police arrived.’

The owner of the Proton needed treatment for smoke inhalation after he used a hose to stop the fire spreading from the car to his home.

Mr David Sapiecha, defending, said references from Osiris’s grandparents and friends showed his behaviour that morning was out of character.

The only explanation he has been able to give was that he had taken valium before carrying out the offences.