YOUNG mums clutching their babies fled a smoke filled block of flats in Southampton.

The blaze broke out after arsonists set fire to a push chair in the stairwell.

Around 10 residents were forced to evacuate Napier House in Paynes Road after the fire broke out on the ground floor shortly after midnight.

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Firefighters from Redbridge and St Mary's station were despatched to deal with the blaze in the four-storey housing association block.

Watch manager Rob Burns from Redbridge station said the fire appeared to have been started deliberately. "When we arrived a push chair was on fire but luckily it hadn't spread," he said.

"People were evacuated through the smoke with their children; young mums with babies.

"We dealt with the fire quite quickly but some of the residents couldn't get back in because they had locked themselves out."

Mr Burns warned: "Any sort of fire in a stairwell can be fatal.

"We would remind people not to leave combustibles on a stairwell that could block an escape route. Fortunately the alarm did its job properly."

Police are treating the incident as suspected arson and have launched an investigation. The block of flats has a security door.

No-one was hurt.