A coroner has called for the elderly to have smoke alarms fitted in their bedrooms after hearing how an 84-year-old woman died in a house fire.

Margery Watson was overcome by smoke when a lamp which had fallen onto the floor set her bedclothes alight.

Although there were two smoke alarms fitted in her house at The Robins, Burley-in-Wharfedale, the acrid smoke had been contained inside her bedroom because the door was closed.

Bradford Coroner Roger Whittaker was told that if Mrs Watson, who suffered from mobility problems, had had a smoke alarm fitted in her bedroom her life could have been saved.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Whittaker said: "I think the important message to learn from this tragedy is that where people are house-bound or bed-bound and confined to their own rooms, particularly where doors have been closed as they were here, that precaution ought to be made for smoke alarms in these particular rooms as well.

"I'm pleased that the fire service are taking that on board and including it in their advice."

Today's inquest was told that Mrs Watson had been asleep in bed when tragedy struck.

A lamp which was switched on had fallen under the bed and had ignited the bedclothes.

Fire Investigator Richard Hagger said that, fuelled by newspapers and magazines that were also under the bed, the fire spread to the bedsheets and wooden frame.

Mrs Watson's husband, Harry, had been in the garden before going to see his wife when the meals-on-wheels delivery arrived.

But the hearing was told that when he opened the door he was hit by a blast of toxic smoke and forced to retreat.

A neighbour called the emergency services but by the time Mrs Watson was carried from the house she was already dead.

A post-mortem revealed that she had died from smoke inhalation.

Mr Hagger told the coroner that the fire service carried out free safety checks and install smoke alarms free of charge.

Mr Whittaker urged everyone to take up the fire service's offer.