A DERELICT nursing home was deliberately set on fire last night, fire fighters said.

Two crews from Blackburn were called to the building in Shorrock Lane, Blackburn, at 4.10am.

Crew manager Lee Pickup said someone deliberately set fire to a pile of rubbish in one of the rooms.

He said: "This arson attack risked the lives of so many people.

"Those involved could have been hurt and its putting our lives at risk by trying to save a derelict building.

"Thankfully a member of the public called us in early as the fire could have been a lot worse than it was."