POLICE are treating as house fire in Malvern as suspicious.

They are appealing for information about the fire, which broke out in a house in Madresfield Road, Malvern, at about 2.25am today.

The fire was in the front of the ground floor of a rented property, according to Alec Mackie, a Hereford & Worcester Fire Brigade spokesman.

Crews had used one hose reel jet and breathing apparatus to put the flames out. The area was then ventilated, he said.

He added that the house was smoke-logged following the fire.

"Fire investigations and police investigations are on-going to establish whether the fire was started deliberately," said a spokeswoman for Worcester Police.

Anybody who saw anyone acting suspiciously in, or near, Madresfield Road, in the early hours of this morning, is asked to contact Worcester Police on 08457 444 888 and quote reference 44S/140403.