AN arsonist threw a burning object through the window of a Blackburn boutique.

Police and fire officers are trying to establish what was thrown through the window of Gossip, in James Street, at 9.40pm yesterday.

The missile started a fire in the front ground floor room of the fashion and beauty shop, which opened recently.

Although fire crews were on the scene within minutes and contained the fire to the one room, 10 rooms across three floors were damaged by smoke.

Scene of crime officers were today taking evidence from the property.

DS Ian Critchley, of Blackburn CID, said: "This area of the town centre will have been quite busy at that time of night.

"We are treating it as arson because something was thrown through the window."

A spokesman for Blackburn Fire Station said: "Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus, using a hose reel put the fire out and a ventilation unit was used to clear the property of smoke.

"The fire is being treated as suspicious, due to a window being broken from the outside and fire and police investigations are being carried out.

"The fire service was very quick in responding to the incident and confined the fire to the room where it started, which prevented the newly-opened business from suffering extensive fire damage."