An elderly woman died after her clothing caught fire as she was using the cooker in the early hours of the morning, an inquest has heard.

Anne Peterson, 79, died from “severe and unsurvivable burns” in a blaze at her home in Newton Flotman on November 6 last year.

Eastern Daily Press: A police forensic officer at the scene of a the fire in Old Street at Newton FlotmanA police forensic officer at the scene of a the fire in Old Street at Newton Flotman (Image: Archant)

Firefighters discovered the retired pharmacist, who lived alone, after being called to the detached two-story house on Old Street after an alarm was triggered at 3am.

An inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court on Monday (June 27) heard how alarm operators called 999 after smoke detectors sounded and Mrs Peterson could be heard yelling out for water.

Fire investigators said she was likely either leaning over the gas hob or had started to fall asleep while using it, causing her clothing to catch fire.

Eastern Daily Press: The house in Old Street at Newton Flotman where the fire broke outThe house in Old Street at Newton Flotman where the fire broke out (Image: Archant)

The mother-of-two with grandchildren had mobility problems and her health deteriorated following the death of her husband, John Peterson, a former South Norfolk councillor, in 2019, the inquest was told.

She had also developed “odd habits” including boiling and storing waste water.

The hearing was told she had required hospital treatment after suffering leg burns caused by boiling water in an earlier incident.

In a statement her daughter Joanne Blake, who does not live in Norfolk but who visited her regularly, said: “We tried to discourage her from doing some of the things she did because we felt they were unnecessary or unsafe.”

She said her mother had declined a move into sheltered housing because she wanted to remain independent but that she had weekday visits from a home help.

Eastern Daily Press: Police at the scene of the fatal fire in Old Street at Newton FlotmanPolice at the scene of the fatal fire in Old Street at Newton Flotman (Image: Archant)

A social services assessment had led to her being given a fall alarm to wear on her wrist and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors being fitted.

Giving a narrative conclusion, area coroner Yvonne Blake said she was “an independent lady who liked to do things her own way” who had “some odd habits such as boiling washing up water”.

She added: “Mrs Peterson lived alone, had poor mobility, was forgetful and was largely nocturnal. She also tended to hoard items and eat at unusual times and cluttered her living space.”

She said she died as the result of a fire caused by her using the gas hob.