Elderly man dies in fire

An investigation has begun after a 91-year-old man died in a house fire in Worthing.

The fire broke out in a terraced house in Lyndhurst Road on Sunday.

The pensioner's stepson discovered the fire when he called at the house, to visit the elderly man, just before 0900 GMT.

Firefighters believe the fire, which started in the living room, had been burning undetected for several hours.

A spokesman said they found the man slumped in a chair in the same room.

'Electric heater'

He said the fire was thought to have been started by an electrical heater, but it was not clear whether the man died before or after the room was set alight.

The West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to make sure they have smoke alarms installed and to check the batteries regularly.

Emergency teams were called to the fire in Lyndhurst Road at 0847 GMT on Sunday, when it was reported that a person was inside, possibly trapped by the flames.

Three fire engines were sent to the terraced house - emergency teams said the two-storey building was heavily smoke-logged.