Neighbours of a woman left fighting for her life after a fire have expressed their shock and concern.

A man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after an incident in Kingsbridge Road, Lower Morden, at about 7.30pm on Saturday.

One neighbour said he has not heard any trouble from the house before.

He said: “It’s dead quiet round here.

“This is the only thing that’s happened round here for quite a while.

“It was a bit of a shock.”

Police officers called to the scene found a 37-year-old woman suffering from at least 60 per cent burns.

She has been taken to hospital and is in a serious but stable condition - a police spokesman said her burns are so severe they could still be life-threatening.

A 40-year-old man who had also suffered burns but did not need hospital treatment has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Another neighbour said he saw the woman, thought to be a mum-of-three, being led out of the house by paramedics on Saturday night with a blanket over her head.

The neighbour said: “They were guiding her out with her face covered.

“I think she was wearing a bra and knickers.

“Her son was there.”

Residents said they thought the family were French, and a married couple with three sons live at the house where the incident took place.

A policeman was stood guard outside the house, which had a police cordon around it today.

A police spokesman said it is possible some kind of fuel could have been used to set fire to the woman as nothing else was severely affected by the blaze.

Officers believe food had been prepared on a barbecue which had been lit prior to the incident.

If you have any information about the incident, you can call police on 101 quoting the reference 140/2571 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.