Body Found In Eastbourne Shed Fire

3 March 2010, 11:27

The discovery of a badly burned body by firefighters tackling a blaze in a shed is not being treated as suspicious, police said today.

The woman's body was recovered by members of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service after they extinguished a fire in the shed at the rear of a house in Percival Road, Eastbourne, at around 3.30pm on Monday.

Yesterday detectives from Sussex Police's major crime branch appealed to the public for information about the incident but further inquiries have now led them to believe no one else was involved.

Formal identification has yet to take place and a post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted tomorrow.

Detective Chief Inspector Trevor Bowles said: ``Following close examination of the scene and the body, we are now satisfied that the fire started inside the shed and there is no indication of the involvement of a third party.

``I can confirm that the body is that of a woman, but while we are reasonably sure who she is, formal identification will not take place until after the post-mortem scheduled for tomorrow morning.

``Family liaison officers are working with her family and our thoughts are with them at this desperately sad time.

``I should like to thank neighbours and the local community for their patience and indeed, their assistance during the inquiry.''