A BODY has been found in a burned out caravan on farmland.

The emergency services were called at 12.20am this morning to farmland off the A4133 at Holt Heath, near Worcester.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "The fire was brought quickly under control and the body of an unidentified man - believed to be the occupant of the caravan - was discovered inside.

"At this stage his death is being treated as unexplained and the cause of the fire is yet to be established.

"Roads surrounding the scene were temporarily closed but all are now open."

Four fire engines were parked along the A4133 which was closed off while they tackled the blaze at land neighbouring The Holt Fleet.

Sue Law from the family-owned pub said they were woken in the early hours of this morning and turned on the pub’s lights to aid the emergency services.

“My in-laws were woken up about 12.45am as it was all going on outside their bedroom windows because the fire hydrant is just by the pub’s sign.

“We could see the smoke and in the end the firefighters had to get water out of the river.” 

Polly Cooper who works at Broomfield's Apples, a farm shop nearby, knew the man who died and said he used to come into the shop at least once a week.

She said: "It's very upsetting. He was a friend of everyone's. He did favours for everyone. He looked after hens and would bring eggs and they paid him in kind. He was a loner yet he knew everyone. He was always friendly. If someone bought him a pint he would bring them eggs. He was a gentleman."

The owner of Holt Fleet Convenience who did not want to be named said the man who died was also a customer at the shop. She said: "I was quite shocked. I just served him yesterday. We didn't know what happened until this morning. It's upsetting. He was really nice and friendly and he lived on his own."

If you have information about what happened you can contact West Mercia Police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference 6-N-170413.