AN elderly woman died following a house fire in Southend on Christmas Day.

The fire service was called at 6.45pm to a fire on the top floor of a three storey house in Nelson Street.

As soon as crews arrived, they entered the building wearing breathing apparatus and found the woman in the bedroom.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Crews managed to prevent the fire from spreading to the roof and the adjoining property. The fire was extinguished by 7.25pm.

A joint fire service and police investigation is being carried out to find the cause of the fire.