A five-year-old boy is believed to have lit a candle which later started a house blaze in Darwen.

A fire brigade spokesman said the candle is thought to have been left smouldering when the boy and his mother left the house in Maria Street yesterday.

Fire took hold and wrecked the boy's bedroom. The rest of the house was affected by smoke.

The spokesman said the boy's mother had found him playing with matches and took them from him. But it is believed he had lit and candle in his room which had not been put out properly.