Police investigating an arson attack on two bungalows in Bury have released a photograph of a piece of kitchen roll used to start the fire.

Officers believe that this brand of kitchen roll has now been discontinued, and are appealing for anyone who may know someone that uses this brand, or any local stores that stock it to come forward.

The incident occurred at 12.30am on Thursday, March 15, when police and fire service officers received a report of a person trapped in a house fire on Sultan Street.

A 69-year-old woman was in bed when she heard a bang. She went to the front door and saw it was alight.

She went into the living room to call the emergency services and was beaten back by the flames.

She locked herself in her kitchen and sealed the door with wet towels. The fire service then arrived and an officer climbed in through the kitchen window to comfort her.

She was then pulled out of the building while firefighters extinguished the blaze at the front of the house.

The woman was left shaken, but uninjured by her ordeal.

At around the same time, a 72-year-old man living next-door had noticed a lit tissue had been pushed through his letter box. This failed to ignite and burnt itself out.

It is believed both fires were started by a lit tissue put through the letterbox. Both fires are being treated as suspicious.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bury CID on 0161 856 8150 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.