Woman, 49, killed in flat blaze

A woman has died in a flat fire in a County Durham town.

Firefighters were called to Malvern Crescent, Darlington, on Tuesday after a neighbour reported smoke coming from the first-floor council-owned property.

Crews had to force their way into the flat, where they found 49-year-old Pauline Nixon unconscious.

She was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital, where she later died. A cigarette is thought to have ignited a mattress in the bedroom.