Woman killed by electric blanket

A woman in her 90s has died in her bed after her electric blanket caught fire.

Crews were called to Dulsie Road in the Talbot Woods area of Bournemouth shortly after 1000 GMT.

The property was completely smoke logged and they used breathing apparatus to investigate the source of the fire, an electric blanket.

They discovered the occupant dead and still in the bed. It is the sixth fire-related death in Dorset in the past two months.

The bed and blanket were completely destroyed by the fire and the property suffered serious smoke damage.

A spokeswoman for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said: "The electric blanket was partially rolled up on top of the bed and therefore acted as a heating coil and caught fire."

She said the property did not have a working smoke alarm.

"We are urging friends, relatives and neighbours to check on family members and friends if they are elderly or have any doubts about the safety of these people," the spokeswoman added.