EMERGENCY workers had to rescue an 86-year-old woman from her home after young thugs set the flat on fire.

The woman, believed to be blind, had to be persuaded to leave by ambulance crews even though flames were spreading through the property.

The attack happened shortly after 4pm in Borrowdale Avenue, Shadsworth, Blackburn, and police believe school children were involved.

Three schoolboys in their early teens have been arrested and are being questioned by detectives.

Ambulance technician Alf Whalley was one of the first people at the scene. He said: "We got to the flat and we could see there were flames coming from the rear of the building.

"At first the lady was reluctant to leave but we managed to persuade her to come out and treated her for smoke inhalation.

"She was then taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary as a precaution." A neighbour who did not want to be named said: "I was in the street when I heard glass being smashed at the back of the flats.

"I went round to the back to see what was happening and saw these three boys running away and flames coming from the window."

He added: "It seems they had set something on fire and pushed it through the window. The fire had spread to the curtains and the whole room was covered in flames.

"I went into the house and tried to get the old lady to come out but she wouldn't move.

"She wanted to use the phone instead so I went outside and got my girlfriend to phone the police on her mobile.

"I could see these three lads hanging around so I grabbed one of them and kept hold of him until the police arrived."

The fire brigade put out the blaze which damaged the rear of the house and said they were treating the incident as suspicious.

A police spokesman said: "We are interviewing three youths and our inquiries are continuing into the incident."

Pictured is the scene of the blaze.