A man has been charged with arson, burglary and assault on an emergency worker after a fire at flats.

Police were first called at 7.15am today to a report of a man having broken into a property and causing a disturbance in The Steyne, Bognor.

Officers attended and found a fire was discovered in a next-door property, which is being worked on by the fire service.

Gavin Anderson, of The Steyne, Bognor, was arrested and has now been charged with false imprisonment, arson with intent to endanger life, burglary and criminal damage.

The 43-year-old is also charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “On March 2, emergency services were called to a block of flats in The Steyne, Bognor, to a report of a man having broken into a flat and causing a disturbance inside.

“On attendance, a fire was discovered in a neighbouring flat, which was worked on by the fire service.”

Anderson has been remanded in custody to appear before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 4.