Pensioner dies after house fire

An elderly woman has died following a house fire in Wirral.

Emergency services were called to the property in Proctor Road, Hoylake, in the early hours of Thursday.

A woman, who is thought to be in her 70s, was rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital, but she was pronounced dead.

Fire investigators were still at the scene on Thursday morning and it is thought the blaze may have been started by a cigarette.