A PENSIONER who died in a fire that destroyed his home has been described as an independent recluse.

Firefighters were called out to the bungalow on Narroway Lane in Crossway Green, near Stourport-on-Severn yesterday after a resident from the nearby Shorthill Caravan Camping Centre raised the alarm.

Peter George, owner of the caravan site said he had known the man, who locals have named as Harry Fields, for many years.

"I've been here for 34 years, and he had been here previously to that," said Mr George.

"He was a recluse but independent, he wouldn't let anyone look after him."

Mr George said he had tried to take Mr Fields food and Christmas dinner on several occasions but he refused the gifts.

Army

"He'd often say 'All right Pete' to me," said Mr George.

"I believe he was in the Far East in the Army during the early days, he told me he was a Desert Rat.

"It's very sad that he died like that."

Two fire engines, one from Stourport and one from Kidderminster, attended the fire at 8am.

Another man who lived on the site said he was woken just before 7.30am by noise from the bungalow, which is behind a Little Chef restaurant off the A449 Worcester to Kidderminster Road.

"There was a bit of smoke then it went up like a towering inferno," said the man who did not wish to be named.

Police officers are keeping an open mind as to how the pensioner died.

"The fire had completely engulfed the property when the crews arrived," said station officer Mark Forsbrook from The Brigade Training and Development Centre at Droitwich.

"All the contents were destroyed, it was a severe fire."

The cause of the blaze is being investigated.