SLEEPING youngsters at a Clayton-le-Moors children's home fled their beds following a 'serious' fire.

Two members of staff and six residents at the Warwick Avenue Children's Centre, in Warwick Avenue, escaped yesterday fire unharmed.

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Smoke alarms installed at the property alerted staff to the fire to bedding in a bedroom, at around 1am.

Two crews from Hyndburn Fire Station, in Hyndburn Road, Accrington, wore breathing masks as they tackled the blaze with a hose reel.

Nobody was hurt but the bedroom was destroyed by fire and the rest of the property suffered smoke damage, a spokesman said.

"Two crews attended a serious bedroom fire in a children's home in Clayton-le-Moors at 1am," he said.

"All occupants of the home were successfully evacuated by on-duty staff and the fire was contained to the bedroom.

"No-one was hurt and a joint investigation by the police and fire service is ongoing to determine the cause."

A 16-year-old boy from Accrington was arrested on suspicion of arson with the intent of endangering life and was being quizzed by officers yesterday.

A woman at the home, who said she was the manager, declined to comment yesterday