Man and boy held after fire death

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Hameeda Begum died and three family members were injured in the fire

A man and a 12-year-old boy have been arrested over a fire in Bolton in which a pensioner died.

Hameeda Begum, 71, was killed and six others, including three firefighters, were hurt in the blaze in Great Lever.

Greater Manchester Police arrested the boy and a 22-year-old man on suspicion of murder and three counts of attempted murder, a spokesman said.

The fire started in a rubbish bin at the front of the house in Little Lever Walk on 23 June.

Hameeda Begum died in hospital

Four people were inside the house at the time of the blaze - Mrs Begum, her husband Mumtaz Ahmed Chisty, a 24-year-old woman and a five-year-old girl.

They were rescued from the house by firefighters but Mrs Begum later died in hospital.

The woman and the child remain critically ill in separate hospitals.

Three firefighters received burns. One of the officers suffered up to 50% burns to his lower back and legs and serious burns to his hands.

Mrs Begum's husband Mr Chisty said his wife woke him up when she heard the smoke alarm go off.

He felt his wife of 45 years had "sacrificed her life to save her children and me".