Woman dies in house fire

An elderly woman has died in a "suspicious" house fire in Gloucestershire.

Police are investigating the cause of the fire which broke out at the house in Upleadon, near Newent, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Firefighters were called to the scene in Forge Lane at 0406 BST, to find flames so fierce the roof and parts of the building's walls collapsed.

Four crews spent several hours tackling the fire, but were unable to save the woman, whose body was found amid the rubble inside.

A Gloucestershire Police spokeswoman said: "We were called at 0425 BST by the fire service who had responded to a report of a fire at an address in Upleaden.

"A body was found at the scene. A Home Office pathologist is in attendance and a full investigation has been launched.

"The cause of the fire has yet to be established but the area has been cordoned off and is being treated as a crime scene."