ECCENTRIC hermit John Strains died in a fire at his wooden chalet home.

The fiercely independ-pensioner lived in squalor despite having thousands of pounds hidden around his house.

Fire crews were called out to High Beech Road, The Pludds, at 5.13am yesterday after neighbours raised the alarm.

They battled to try to reach the pensioner but say the rescue attempt was difficult as the roof had collapsed into the structure and there were gas cylinders involved. The body of the 77-year-old was found in the ruins of his badly damaged home which had no electricity, a trickle of running water and no working toilet.

The mainly timber building with a small brick extension had been full of old newspapers, milk bottles, crates, boxes and gas bottles.

Neighbours knew the way he lived but say former bus driver Mr Strains turned down all offers of help and refused to let concerned professionals through the door of the home he shared with his cat.

They say he slept in his chair, cooked on a Calor gas stove and had no electricity since rats ate through the cabling several years ago.

But despite the lack of hot water and refusing to cut his beard or hair, neighbours say Mr Strains kept himself clean.

And he was not poor, preferring to hide his money in food wrappers than use banks.

Neighbours Geoff and Kathleen Hale ran errands for him and took him to the GP the day before he died.

"He never ought to have been in there in those conditions in the first place, but he wouldn't listen," said Mr Hale.

"It was diabolical. He wouldn't throw away so much as a matchstick and you could just about squeeze through the door."

Worried Mr Hale tried to persuade him to go into sheltered accommodation but he refused to leave the home he shared with mother Edith until she died in the 1980s.

But he did agree to use thick church candles because Mr Hale believed they were more stable than thin ones.

Mr Straines was born near London, but was evacuated during the war to stay with maternal relatives in Joys Green.

He worked as a driver for Edwards' Coaches where he was known for his immaculate appearance and an outspoken nature that earned him the nickname 'Potty'. He is believed to have a son. Two crews from Cinderford and one from Coleford battled to save Mr Straines but struggled because the building was well alight by the time they arrived and the roof had collapsed.

Deputy Chief Officer Geoff Sallis said: "The crews worked hard to fight the fire and save his life, but in this instance it was not possible.

"As a service any loss of life impacts on us all and our condolences go out to the family and friends."

Cinderford station manager Gareth Clowes said the crews were saddened by the case.

He added: "I am quite surprised that, in this day and age, elderly people are living in conditions like this."

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: "The cause of the fire is being treated as unknown at this time. The next of kin of the resident of the house and the coroner have been informed."