PRISONERS were evacuated from their cells at Blackburn's Greenbank police station complex on Sunday morning after an inmate set fire to his bed.

The custody suite was almost full to its capacity of 42 when eight prisoners from one wing were led out into a secure compound after the man set fire to his plastic mattress with a lighter.

Police have said the design of the new custody suite, which has four separate wings, and the professionalism of staff, helped avert possible tragedy.

They have also launched an investigation into how the man managed to smuggle the lighter into his cell, as it would usually have been confiscated at an earlier stage.

Inspector Julian Platt said: "The custody staff identified a male who had attempted to set fire to a mattress in a cell wing.

"Some plastic was burned causing smoke to fill the cell and filter into one of the wings.

"The wing was evacuated and the cell was ventilated.

"Then everybody was taken back to the cells.

"There will be action taken against the man who started the fire.

"He had gone to great lengths to conceal a lighter on his person because it's our policy to remove such articles.

"The damage to the cell complex is very minimal.

"There is a bit of damage to the mattress, which is fire retardant.

"I have to say be that because of the design of the cell complex and the professionalism of the staff a possible tragedy was averted.

"Saturday is a busy night and the cell complex was near capacity."

Firefighters described the damage as "slight".