POLICE and fire services are investigating reports of arson after two people were rescued from a flat fire in Farnworth this morning.

Fire crews from Farnworth, Bolton Central and Withington were called to the incident, in Market Street, at around 3.30am.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were called at 3.37am to Market Street, Farnworth to a domestic building fire with people reported inside.

"On arrival firefighters walked two people to safety and extinguished a large quantity of waste at the door of the property.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police added: "Shortly before 3.50am on Friday 6 July 2018, police were called to reports of arson on Market Street in Bolton.

"The fire service attended and the fire was quickly brought under control.
A man and a woman, believed to be in their late teens, were treated for smoke inhalation.

"Enquiries into the full circumstances around this incident are ongoing."

The pair, a man and a woman, were met with two ambulances and hazardous response vehicles from North West Ambulance Service

They were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation before being taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The Bolton News understands the rubbish was piled up outside the door and the fire is suspected to have been started deliberately. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Firefighters were on the scene for an hour and ten minutes and used breathing apparatus, hoses, ladders and a ventilation fan to extinguish the flames.