A woman who died after being pulled from her burning home has been described as a “much-loved member of the church community”.

Pamela Speedy, 87, died in hospital on Tuesday morning, hours after flames engulfed the large period house in The Square, Elham.

Brave firefighters had rescued her from the property at about 10.30pm on Monday, but she was unconscious and suffering from severe smoke inhalation.

Paramedics performed CPR for two hours and managed to resuscitate Mrs Speedy, but
she died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford the following morning.

Mrs Speedy, who lived alone and was twice widowed, was well-known in the village and had been a church-goer and sung in the choir.

She had previously lived in Harbledown.

She has a daughter, Sarah, who lives in Hythe, and her son-in-law Lloyd Davies is the choirmaster at Elham Church.

Church warden at St Mary’s, Mary Morgan, said: “Pamela was a much-loved member of the church community and will be sadly missed.

“Until recently when she suffered poor health, she was still singing in our choir.

“We will be saying prayers for her on Sunday and I am sure there will be a big turnout for her funeral.”

Fire experts are still investigating the cause of the blaze, which is thought to have started in the kitchen of Mrs Speedy’s home.

At the height of the emergency response, three fire engines, four police cars and four ambulances were at the scene.

Crews fought the flames for almost two hours, but the kitchen was destroyed and the rest of the house suffered severe damage.

Police say they are not treating the fire as suspicious at this stage.