Fire in flat above Co-op being treated as arson

A fire that left a shop and a flat damaged is being investigated as arson.

Fire crews were called to the first-floor property above the Co-op store in Nettleham, near Lincoln, shortly after 19:00 BST on 17 April.

Lincolnshire Police said the cause of the fire has been determined as "deliberate ignition".

A man and his pet cat were rescued from the fire, and the man remains in hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

The force said it was "keeping an open mind at this stage" and has encouraged people not to speculate about the circumstances of the incident.

The flat suffered fire and water damage, and there was smoke damage to the flat and the shop.

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