A Birmingham pensioner has died after her electric blanket caught fire.

The tragedy was discovered after a person smelt smoke while delivering Meals on Wheels to the victim’s bungalow, in Woodthorpe Road, Kings Heath, yesterday.

The woman’s body was then found by firefighters from Bournbrook, Northfield and Kings Norton at 12.30pm.

West Midlands Fire Service spokesman Jeremy Sharpe, said: “She was found in the front ground floor bedroom lying on the bed. It looks like the electric blanket was at the lower end of the bed.

“It is difficult to tell what happened, she could have turned it on by accident. It looked like an old one and the fire had been smouldering for quite a long time”

Investigations by police and firefighters have now been launched.

Suzie Fothergill, West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman, added: “The room was smoke filled after it is believed that an electric blanket and a bed had caught fire.”