Fire in flats started deliberately

Fire crews evacuated the block of flats

A fire in a block of flats in Northamptonshire was started deliberately police have revealed.

About 30 people have been evacuated from a nine storey block of flats in Northampton after fire broke out on Friday morning.

A Northamptonshire Fire Service spokeswoman said six fire crews were called to the incident at St Catherine's Court, Castle Street, Northampton, at 0116 BST on Friday.

The spokeswoman said that fire crews rescued six people from the nine floor block of flats and 25 people were evacuated.

She said the fire appears to have started in a lift which had been filled with furniture.

The fifth floor was damaged by the fire itself and other floors suffered smoke damage.

No-one was injured and all those who were rescued were taken to a guest house by Red Cross volunteers.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman told the BBC that it is now believed that someone deliberately set light to a piece of furniture put into the lift.