An 80-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after she was set on fire outside her flat.
Brenda Raymond is suffering from ‘catastrophic injuries’ after she was attacked as she was returning to her home in Watford just after midday on Monday, her family said.
Officers believe she was likely to have had a flammable liquid sprayed on her before being set alight.
The 80-year-old was found by officers in a first-floor communal area in a block of flats on Caractacus Cottage View.
An investigation has been launched into what police are treating as an attempted murder.
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Police said an accelerant liquid, a substance used to start a fire, was found to have been poured into a letterbox of a nearby flat.
A 33-year-old man arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life has since been released on bail with strict conditions.
Ms Raymond’s relatives said they were in ‘complete shock’ following the incident, adding they were ‘desperate for answers’ and calling on anyone who witnessed the attack to come forward.
Her family said in a statement: ‘Words cannot describe how distressing the past few days have been for us as a family.
‘Our beautiful, chatty, fun-loving and much-loved Brenda, who loves to keep fit and dancing, has suffered catastrophic injuries in the most devastating of circumstances; circumstances which have left us all in complete shock.
‘We simply cannot understand why anyone would have wanted to hurt her in this way.’
Ms Raymond’s family have also asked for privacy at this ‘unimaginably difficult time’.
Anyone with information should call 101, quoting Operation Tibbin, or Crimestoppers to remain anonymous.
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