A 22-year-old woman has been remanded in to custody after being charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

Simran Khan appeared before magistrates in Preston on Saturday, charged with setting fire to a flat on Thursday evening.

Residents had to be evacuated from the Blackburn with Darwen Foyer flats on Prince's Street at around 8.30pm, after a fire broke out on the second floor.

Fire crews from the town were sent to the incident initially believing there to be no-one in the unit, but on arrival, a resident informed firefighters a woman was still inside.

A fire service spokesperson said: "The residents were evacuated to a muster point inside the building and a 22-year-old woman was found in the corridor.

"She was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation, but did not require a trip to hospital.

"The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen and the flat was heavily smoke logged but no extensive damage was done.

"Luckily all the fire systems in the building were working properly."

Khan, of Prince's Street, Blackburn, is due to appear at Preston Crown Court on February 17.