AN ELDERLY woman is critically ill in hospital after she was severely burnt in a flat blaze.

The 77-year-old was carried to safety on a stretcher by firefighters after flames engulfed her first floor apartment in Golby Court, Telscombe Cliffs, shortly after 8.30am yesterday.

Paramedics treated the woman, known to neighbours as Hilary Faulkner, at the scene for burns and smoke inhalation before rushing her to Royal Sussex County Hospital.

She remained in hospital in a critical but stable condition last night, police said.

The entire building was evacuated from the Lewes District Council-owned sheltered housing in South Coast Road as at least ten firefighters from Newhaven tackled the blaze.

Neighbours spent an hour outside and then crowded into each other's ground floor flats after firefighters extinguished the flames and secured the scene, where Mrs Faulkner lived alone, upstairs.

Joan Anscomb, 69, said: “I heard shouting upstairs. I went out into the passageway and saw slithers of smoke coming out into the hallway and thought 'oh my god.' The fire has gutted the flat and the building smells quite badly of smoke now. We are all so worried for Hilary and hope she is ok soon but she is a fighter.”

Fellow neighbour Greta Smith, 69, used to live in Mrs Faulkner's flat and moved to a ground floor flat seven years ago.

She said: “I was sat here watching TV and heard sirens. Whenever I hear them I always think whoever it is I hope they are ok.

"The next thing I knew a fireman was banging on the door and they had come into the building and were rushing up the stairs and into the gardens. He was telling everyone 'you have to get out now.'

"There are about 12 of us here and we all tried to wait with each other. I went to the side gate and they were carrying Hilary out on a stretcher.

"She is a sweet woman, we are all worried for her but tried to keep calm.”

Fire investigation officers continued to inspect the scene yesterday as they investigated the cause of the fire which is believed to have been accidental and might have started in the lounge.

A council spokeswoman said: “On discharge we will provide temporary accommodation if required. The flat where the fire started is not habitable however the other flats in the block have not been affected.”