A village community is reeling with shock after the bodies of a popular couple were discovered in a fire damaged house.

Fire crews and ambulance were called to the house in Willow Green, Ingatestone, shortly before 5pm on Monday after being alerted by a neighbour. Geoffrey and Fleur Bacon - who are being described as "highly respected pillars of the community" - were pronounced dead at the scene.

Fire chiefs say the pensioners died in the early hours of Sunday morning from the effects of smoke inhalation. The couple were non smokers and it is believed they were woken by a small fire in their electric blanket which they tried to tackle themselves. The fire later burned itself out.

The tragedy prompted fire officers to issue an urgent plea to residents to install smoke alarms and make emergency action plans to get everyone out of a house should a fire break out.

Geoffrey, 73, and Fleur, 65, were members of St Mary the Virgin Church, Fryerning. Geoffrey was the church warden and both were members of the choir.

Parishioners became concerned when the couple did not turn up for the Sunday morning service and although friends called at their house, there was no sign anything was wrong.

Fears were heightened when the couple failed to come to the door when friends arrived for a pre-arranged lunch on Monday.

Neighbour Brian Shedel was contacted and when he entered the house with a spare key, he discovered the body of Mr Bacon on the stairs and landing.

Mr Shedel said: "This is a tragedy. We often had social times together. They were involved in the community and were a lovely couple."

Mr Bacon, a retired chartered accountant, was a former director of the London branch of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Mrs Bacon used to work as a secretary at a Japanese bank.

The couple have lived in Willow Green for 45 years and have two children. Daughter Susan Ward, a mother-of-three teenage girls, lives in Ingatestone, and the couple's son, Nigel, works for the British Council in Saudi Arabia.

The Rev Patrick Sherring, who is rector at both St Mary the Virgin, Fryerning and St Edmund and St Mary, Ingatestone , said: "This is a devastating event for the village community. Geoffrey and Fleur were such well known and well loved people. I knew them very well. They have been involved in lots of village things for many years. "

Family friend John Bayliss, of the Ingatestone estate agents J Bayliss and Company, said: "They have been part of the village for many years. They will be sadly missed."

Mr Bacon was a member of Ingatestone Choral Society. Choral Society conductor Bruce Pennick said: "Geoffrey was highly valued not only as a singer, but also as a reader using his powerful, dramatic voice. As a couple they were much respected and warmly regarded. They were pillars of society."

Mrs Bacon was a school governor at Ingatestone and Fryerning Junior School and was also involved in local amateur dramatic groups.

Brentwood fire station commander Jack Imrie said: "We believe both were in bed asleep when they were awoken by a small fire in their bedding. They tried to fight the fire but were overcome by the smoke and died of smoke inhalation."

Published Tuesday January 18, 2005

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