CHILDREN were rushed to hospital after an arson attack at a converted Saltaire mill last night - two days after a similar suspicious blaze in a communal bin store.

Fire crews from Shipley, Idle and Bradford and Bingley were called to New Mill, Victoria Mills, at 10.43pm on Sunday night after a large commercial bin at the bottom of a waste shute flooded choking smoke into all four floors of the building.

Some 40 residents had to be evacuated and a six and seven-year-old child were taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary where they were treated for potential smoke inhalation.

Police are now investigating the cause of the fire, which follows a bin fire on Friday afternoon in the same block that was initially attributed to a discarded lit cigarette.

Shipley Watch Commander John Cavalier told what happened: "Our initial conclusion is that this was a deliberate fire and police will be investigating," he said this morning. "A large, commercial type plastic waste bin had been set on fire, which then ignited others in the bin store. "They are fed by a communal waste shute, which then acted as a chimney, taking white smoke up to the fourth floor.

"That floor became filled with smoke which began entering some of the flats. "The residents were faced with the terrible dilemna of whether to leave their homes as that top floor corridor was full of dense smoke.

"Fire doors partly did their job, but smoke also spread to other floors.

"Two children aged six and seven were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.

"All four floors were evacuated and we remained at the scene until 1.30am this morning. "There was extensive damage to the bin store and we stayed to help clear up the mess."