AN 81-YEAR-OLD woman died in her warden-controlled bungalow only two weeks before her council landlords were due to install a smoke alarm.

Firefighters found the body of Annie Bell in the bedroom of her house in Woodland Road, Esh Winning, on Sunday after a home help raised the alarm.

A spokeswoman for Durham City Council confirmed Mrs Bell's home was one of those about to be fitted with a smoke detector.

Fire officers launched an immediate investigation following the fire and quickly ruled out any suspicious circumstances at the house, which forms part of a horseshoe of interconnecting old folk's bungalows.

Although the inquiry was continuing, a spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade said the fire, which was reported at around 8.30am, had been isolated to a mattress in the bedroom, where Mrs Bell, a smoker, had been sleeping.

Police also stated that it appeared that the mattress had been smouldering for some time.

A senior fire office revealed there was no smoke alarm in the sheltered accommodation.

A spokeswoman for Durham City Council said that while all their new sheltered accommodation included detectors there were a number of older properties not covered by the devices.

She added that the council was currently in the process of spending £500,000 installing alarms in all the warden-controlled premises. She also pointed out that Mrs Bell did have a pendant unit she wore, which could be triggered if assistance was needed.

She said: "Mrs Bell's property had already been surveyed and was due to have the smoke alarm fitted within the next two weeks."

The spokeswoman said the council would await Fire Brigade and Police findings before deciding whether to hold its own inquiry