POLICE are treating a fire in which a woman, her four-year-old son and a neighbour were trapped, as arson.

Firefighters were called to Harold Street, Queenbrough, near Sheerness, at 1.30am today after being alerted by the woman. She had been woken by a fire alarm.

Her neighbour is believed to have entered the house in an attempt to rescue the woman and child.

But she became trapped and all three had to be rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus. They were taken to hospital.

Officers were at the scene today investigating the fire, which started in the house's entrance hall.

The investigating officer, PS Amanda Padfield said: "We are appealing for witnesses to this callous crime.

"There was not much damage to the property, but without the quick response of the firebrigade and the neighbours' actions, things could easily have turned out a lot worse."

* See next week's Sheerness Times Guardian for the full story.