A MAN died in a house fire at High Beech Road, the Pludds,in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The body of a 77-year-old man was found sitting in a chair at the home, which had no electricity, a trickle of running water and no working toilet.

The badly damaged building had been full of old newspapers, milk bottles, crates, boxes and calor gas bottles.

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 has been informed."

See this week's Forester for full story