Arson probe : dead mother named

The blaze killed one and injured a man in the house

Police have named an elderly woman who died in a fire at her home in south Wales on Thursday morning.

She has been named as Ruth Whitton, who lived with her son John Whitton at Oakdene Close, Port Talbot.

Firefighters were unable to recover her alive from the blazing building, but they did manage to save her 39-year-old son, who was taken to Swansea's Morriston Hospital in a critical condition.

He is very well-liked in the community and goodhearted; he is a really nice bloke

Colleague on injured man

Police believe the fire was started deliberately; they set up an incident room at Port Talbot police station

Two fire engines had arrived to deal with the blaze on the normally quiet estate.

Police and forensic examiners spent all morning at the house, making a detailed search of the area.

There remains no reason for the outbreak of the fire, but police are treating the cause as suspicious.

Meanwhile, neighbours at Oakdene Close said they could not believe what had happened.

"Well-liked"

Staff at the nearby Baglan Bay Hotel said the Mr Whitton was a regular and well-liked in the community.

"I know that he is well-liked and very popular, so we can't really understand it," said manager Christine Cole.

Barman Paul Lavington added: "He is very well-liked in the community and goodhearted; he is a really nice bloke."

South Wales Police appealed for anyone who was in the area between 0100 and 0200 BST to contact them.

Anyone with information should call the incident room at Port Talbot Police Station on 01639 889127 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.