Woman dies after 'cooking fire'

A woman has died after being involved in a suspected accidental fire while she was cooking in Southampton.

The 40-year-old woman was badly burned in the blaze at a property in St Monica's Road, Sholing, on Tuesday.

She was found by firefighters trying to shield herself from flames in the kitchen, police said.

The woman was taken to hospital in Salisbury where she later died. Police said it appeared the fire was started by accident while she was cooking.

Station manager Dave Brown said: "Crews arrived at the scene to find a female in the ground floor kitchen of the property where there was a severe fire.

"Early indications are that this was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with her family."

A post-mortem examination will be carried out on Thursday.