A 45-year-old man has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life after reports of a fire at a former synagogue in east London.

Moses Edwards, from Wanstead, will appear at Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday after the alleged arson attack on the building in Nelson Street, Whitechapel, on 5 May.

Police said minor damage was caused to the gates and a lock at the front of the building shortly after 5am and no one was hurt.

The building is in the process of being sold to a Muslim organisation that plans to turn it into a mosque and community centre.

The incident was one of a series of separate alleged arson attacks at Jewish sites in London in the past two months.

A 52-year-old woman who was also arrested as part of the investigation has been released on bail to a date in August.