A pensioner died along with his pet dog when a ferocious fire tore through a mobile home at a West Sussex park.

The man's wife was woken by the "crunching" sound of the blaze and escaped. She needed treatment for shock and the effects of smoke.

Firefighters and police raced to The Willows at Ford, near Arundel, at 3.40am today in a desperate attempt to rescue the trapped man.

They battled through heat and smoke but found his body in the hallway. His Jack Russell was found lying dead in the lounge.

The man's wife was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester where she was being treated today.

Neighbours said the couple had lived together at the park for about eight years and were on first-name terms with residents of the 35 other trailers.

Theresa and Tom Talbot were woken by the noise of the fire, which melted the mobile home beyond recognition.

Mrs Talbot said: "When I looked out the kitchen window I could see the sky was bright orange."

She said she knew the couple on first-name terms only, but the woman always waved when taking her dog out for a walk.

She said: "I think he was poorly as we didn't see that much of him, but everyone round here was on first name terms with them. It's that sort of place. We're all absolutely devastated."

A West Sussex fire brigade spokeswoman said: "On arrival, crews were faced with a severe fire. There was also the threat of gas cylinders kept behind the mobile home exploding.

"Crews located one man and his dog in the home as they extinguished the blaze but they had suffered fatal injuries."

It took more than two hours to bring the blaze under control.

Police scenes of crime officers and a fire investigation team were at the scene this morning.

Eight caravans were cordoned off as investigations continued.

Detective Inspector Paul Williams said: "Initial investigations suggest the fire was not suspicious. But it is very difficult to tell in a mobile home fire because half of it was gutted. Investigations are ongoing."