A WOMAN fled from her burning house during a suspected arson attack.

The woman, in her 50s, was awoken at her home in Stokesley Walk, Great Lever, at 1.20am yesterday by the sound of flames on the side and on the roof of her townhouse.

She managed to get out of the house and alert a neighbour, who quickly called 999.

Firefighters had to remove roof tiles to tackle the fire.

They suspect the blaze began in a mattress among a pile of rubbish next to a bin store outside the house.

Watch commander Ian Ainsworth, of Bolton fire station in Moor Lane, said: “The woman had a smoke alarm but the smoke had not reached it by the time she discovered the fire.

“We were at the scene for about 90 minutes and assisted the police with their investigation.”

Police are asking for witnesses to the fire and anyone with information should telephone 101.