A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was found with stab wounds following a house fire.

The 39-year-old man and 25-year-old woman, together with a 23-month-old girl, were rescued from a late-night blaze in a house in Burnley Road, Loveclough, police said The woman was later found to have suffered stab wound.

All three remained in hospital last night with a number of serious injuries and were said to be 'poorly'.

The fire, which started late on Sunday night, caused significant damage to the terraced house, where a downstairs window was boarded up yesterday.

A neighbour told of seeing flames coming from the property.

The house, at the end of a terrace of three, was cordoned off as police conducted inquiries.

The man, woman and child were rescued from the building by emergency services.

A police spokesman said a man was later arrested by police on suspicion of attempted murder.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he became aware of the incident when he was alerted by his son.

The neighbour said: "I had gone to bed and my son told me there were flashing lights in the street.

"The emergency services were all there, fire engines, police and ambulances."

Another neighbour said he did not know about the events until the morning.

He said: "A distant neighbour knocked on my door at about 9am and asked if I was aware of what had happened.

"He said he had seen emergency service workers walking about and there were flames coming out of the property.

"When he told me, it was quite a surprise. This is almost certainly the most dramatic thing to have happened in that house, which was built in 1857."

The police spokesman said: "We were called around 10.45pm on Sunday following reports of a fire at a property in Rossendale.

"Emergency services attended an address on Burnley Road, with a 39-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman and a 23-month-old girl all rescued from the building.

"All three were taken to local hospitals suffering a number of serious injuries.

"Following further investigation, the woman was found to have suffered a number of stab wounds. All three remain in hospital and their conditions are described as poorly.

"The man was later arrested by police on suspicion of attempted murder.

"An investigation is under way and inquiries are continuing."

Two fire engines from Burnley and one from Rawtenstall attended the incident after being called by the police and used two hose reels to extinguish the fire. It is not thought serious damage was caused to the house.

A fire service spokesman said: "We received a call from the police to put a fire out and we quickly put it out. It would be inappropriate to comment further as there is an active police investigation."

Anyone with information about the incident can contact police on 101, quoting log reference 1670 of July 30.