A WOMAN was left with “severe” facial burns after a suspected arson attack on her home.

Firefighters found the 44-year-old woman banging on an upstairs bedroom window begging for help after the blaze ripped through her Read home, blocking her escape.

Another woman, 42, thought to be a visitor, also managed to flee the burning Whalley Road property.

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Fire crews were forced to use ladders and water jets to reach the 44-year-old. They smashed a window to enable her to breathe.

Firefighters wearing specialist breathing apparatus entered the house and carried her to safety. A team of 18 firefighters from Burnley, Great Harwood and Accrington spent several hours putting out the flames.

Detectives said an arson probe has now been launched after the cause of the blaze is thought to have been suspicious.

The woman with burns to her face and arms is thought to have lived in the house with her son and partner for around six months.She was taken to Wythenshawe Burns Unit by paramedics.

The other woman was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Mum-of-one Becky Davies, 43, who lives in Whalley Road, said she heard her neighbour’s calls for help shortly before 11pm on Sunday.

Ms Davies said: “You could see the smoke coming out of the house.

“A woman was shouting from the house and crying for help and banging on the window upstairs. The fire service smashed the window to help her get out.”

Claire Bruce, 30, who lives in nearby East View with her two children, said: “It was awful and the smoke was horrendous.

“It was so thick and it came into the house when we opened the door to see what was going on.

“You could see all the flames coming out of the back of the house and it went on for a quite a while.”

Firefighters said the blaze is believed to have started in a ground-floor lounge and quickly spread through the rest of the house.

The flames caused severe damage to the ground floor. Smoke damage was severe to the upper level.

The only visible sign of the damage was at the back of the property. Smoke had blackened the outside wall and the heat from the flames had made the window frames buckle.