Woman and dog die in Telford home fire

Emergency services were called to the house in Donnington after concerned neighbours raised the alarm.

The victim was named locally as 74-year-old Hilda Mitchell, who lived at the cottage in Wellington Road, along with her dog Leo.

An investigation was under way today into the cause of the blaze.

Police confirmed there had been a fire within the house, describing Miss Mitchell's death as "sudden and unexpected".

The house has been cordoned off by officers while emergency services investigate the scene and the cause of the blaze.

There was little sign of the fire from the outside of the house.

It is believed to have been contained internally.

The alarm was raised when a neighbour paid a visit to take the pensioner some food, and received no response.

Robert Hardy said he had helped look after the woman, who lived alone, in recent years and called emergency services after he got no response when he tried to take her a meal just before 11.30am yesterday.

Mr Hardy said: "I am still in shock. I knocked on the door this morning and there was no answer.

"I called again because normally she shouts for me to come straight in and called on the door again.

"I have got a key to the door and the dog was lying there dead in the front doorway so I could not get in. I called 999.

Mr Hardy added: "I took her dinner down every day

"Me and my wife have been there to help her and take her meals everyday; meals on a Sunday and Christmas and try to be there and help her."

Other neighbours also spoke of their shock and surprise at what happened.

Mark Monk, a painter working on a neighbouring house, said: "All I know is there was a fire and the lady and her dog died.

"I was working here and I did not hear or see anything.

"I thought I could smell some smoke but I could smell smoke the other day so I did not think anything of it.

"The first I knew was a woman came running down the road shouting and said a lady had died.

"I asked her what had happened and she told me and believed it was the smoke that had killed her.

"I then saw the ambulance and fire engines come and the police, it was quite a dramatic scene. It is a real shame."

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "We are shocked and we are upset.

"You do not expect to hear that your neighbour has died especially under these circumstances."

A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said two appliances from Wellington and one from Tweedale were sent to the scene, but when two firefighters in breathing apparatus entered the building they found the fire was already out.

The spokesman added: "Fire investigation officers are currently working with police and scenes of crime officers to establish the cause of this fire, however, the fire is not believed to be suspicious."

The fire service repeated its call for householders to invest in a smoke detector and to ensure they are fitted across the home.

Detectives were last night tracing relatives to inform them of the death of Mrs Mitchell.

Kieren Bodill, a spokesman for West Mercia Police, said: "We can confirm there was a fire and a sudden and unexpected death in Wellington Road and a lady is deceased. We were called to the scene by the ambulance service at 11.34am."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman added: "We were called at 11.27am to Wellington Road.

"We dispatched two ambulances and the woman was confirmed dead at the scene."