A woman has been charged with arson and causing grievous bodily harm with intent after a house fire.

Fire crews were called to the property near a Chinese takeaway in Church Road, Swanscombe, at around 5.30am last Wednesday.

Neighbours described hearing screams coming from the home as emergency services arrived on the scene.

Three people were injured and taken to hospital. All have since been discharged.

An investigation into the incident led to a woman being arrested on Saturday.

Lydia Lis, of Church Road, was later charged with arson, possessing a knife, and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The 48-year-old is known to the defendant and the assault is alleged to have taken place around the time the fire started.

She was remanded in custody to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday 16 September.

Speaking on the morning of the fire, one witness, who lives nearby, said: “I was woken up this morning to a woman screaming, so I got up went downstairs and looked out the window to see fire engines, an ambulance and police arrive.

“I walked down to the shops and on the way back asked the police who were outside if everyone was okay.”

A staff member at Swanscombe Dry Cleaners said they saw the police cordon in place when they arrived at 7am.

She added: “There was people here, there and everywhere. It looks like a fire came from the top window.”

A fire service spokesman added: “Two fire engines attended and crews, wearing breathing apparatus, extinguished the flames.

“Three people were taken to hospital and the cause of the fire is not yet known.”