A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of a 73-year-old woman in a house fire.

Northamptonshire Police said the 55-year-old was detained in Sussex following a fatal blaze at a terraced house in Northampton at about 3.50am today.

A police spokesman confirmed that the suspect had been arrested near Brighton and was being held at Eastbourne police station.

Fire crews are thought to have rescued a man and a woman from the property in Washington Street, Kingsthorpe, Northampton.

"A 55-year-old man has been arrested this morning near Brighton and is currently being held on suspicion of murder," the spokesman said.

"Detectives are now travelling to Sussex to interview him."