RESIDENTS have been urged to turn into the eyes and ears of the police in an attempt to curb the number of arsons in Accrington.

Firefighters have been handing out leaflets in the Richmond Hill Street area of Accrington following a fire at an empty house in the early hours of this morning.

The house, which is empty, was gutted inside as a result of the fire and an elderly woman, who lives next door, was forced to flee her home as it filled with smoke.

The leaflets promote the importance of reporting any suspicious behaviour to the police, and also lists a confidential phone number people can ring if they believe they know who started a blaze.

Station Officer Lee Flattery said: "The fire caused a lot of damage and a lot of distress for the old woman living next door. We are almost certain it is arson. We are seeing more and more similar incidents in this area."

He added: "We are distributing leaflets in the Richmond Hill Street area, urging people to call a confidential number if they think they know who might be responsible for arson attacks. That information could save lives."

Anyone with information can contact the arson hotline on 0800 555 111.