Detectives were last night questioning a man in connection with an incident which left a 20-year-old woman fighting for life with serious burns.

The victim was yesterday transferred to the burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, where she was said to be in a critical condition.

The woman had initially been taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary with what were believed to be 40 per cent burns after she was found on fire in Bradford.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to a block of flats, at Parsonage Road, off Sticker Lane, Cutler Heights, shortly before 5.45pm on Thursday.

They found the victim conscious and breathing, but suffering from “very nasty burns” and she underwent emergency surgery at BRI.

Initial reports suggested the woman, who lived at the address, could have been injured accidentally but fire investigators became suspicious.

Police began hunting a potential suspect and then arrested a 22-year-old man in Birmingham yesterday morning. He was brought back to West Yorkshire for questioning and remained in custody last night.

Neighbours talked of their shock at learning of the incident and said the man and woman who lived at the flat for a few months had kept themselves to themselves.

Kimberley O’Sullivan-Black, 21, said: “We have seen her around but we don’t know her name, I think she lives there with her boyfriend. I’m in my early 20s I think she’s my age. They are quite quiet.”

Richard Richter said: “I saw someone in a wheelchair strapped in, being taken out of the flats as well.

“It’s really quiet round here normally, quite nice and quiet.”

Christopher Kendall, who also lives nearby, said he believed the injured woman and her partner had lived at the flat for about five months.

“I came back this morning after a night shift and saw all the police,” he said.

“We say hello in passing, they keep to themselves but they are quite nice. They don’t really get involved with anybody.”