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Woman, 80, in critical condition after being set on fire

Wednesday, 11 November 2026 at 23:15

An 80-year-old woman set on fire outside her flat has been named by police.

Brenda Raymond is in a critical condition after being found alight in a first-floor communal area at Caractacus Cottage View, Watford.

She was found just after 12.45pm on Monday. It's believed some kind of liquid was sprayed on her as she returned home.

Police, who are treating it as attempted murder, said an accelerant liquid was also poured through the letterbox of a nearby flat.

Detective Inspector Adam Bridges called it an "appalling and deeply distressing attack on an elderly woman who suffered horrific injuries".

"Her family are understandably distraught and have taken the step of releasing her name and photograph to help jog people's memories around this distressing and highly unusual incident," he said.

"Someone out there knows something," said DI Bridges.

"You may have witnessed suspicious activity, heard a conversation, noticed unusual behaviour, or captured something on CCTV or dashcam footage without realising its significance."

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Police want to hear from witnesses who saw anyone near the flats acting suspiciously, wearing a mask/balaclava, or fleeing towards nearby woodland or footpaths.

They also want people to contact them if they saw anyone buying flammable liquid on the day of the attack or shortly before.

Sky News