The inquest of a man who died following a house fire in Ilketshall St Margaret has opened.

East Anglian Daily Times: Emergency services at the scene of the fire where William English died. Picture: GRETA LEVYEmergency services at the scene of the fire where William English died. Picture: GRETA LEVY (Image: Archant)

Emergency services were called to Low Street, in Ilketshall St Margaret, near Bungay, just after 10.30pm on Saturday, March 16 after a neighbour thought they smelled smoke coming from Mr English’s property.

Police officers forced entry to the property, which was filled with thick smoke and found William English, who was known as Billy, on the floor of his kitchen.

An attempt was made to resuscitate the 81-year-old at the scene by police until they passed him over to paramedics.

However Mr English was later pronounced dead by doctors at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston.

East Anglian Daily Times: Emergency services at the scene of the fire where William English died. Picture: GRETA LEVYEmergency services at the scene of the fire where William English died. Picture: GRETA LEVY (Image: Archant)

The inquest, which took place at Suffolk Coroner’s Court in Ipswich, has been adjourned and is set to continue on September 17 2019.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said at the time of the fire: “I didn’t hear anything, I saw the blue lights, but his next door neighbours said they heard a loud bang and they called the police.

“I used to pick him up and drive him into town to catch a bus so he could see his daughter every now and then.

“He has lived here for years, most probably his whole life.”

The walls of his two-storey brick home remained blacked the next morning and the wooden front door was visibly damaged, while firefighters, police and two forensic service vehicles were on scene for most of the day.

Fire appliances from Harleston, Loddon, Halesworth, Bungay and Beccles attended the incident.