An elderly woman has been found dead outside her home in Dannevirke but at this stage police do not believe the death to be suspicious.
Police were called to a house in Waterloo Street, Dannevirke around 10am this morning where they found the body of a woman in her 90s.
Early indications are that the woman was warming the clothes she intended to wear for the day by a gas heater when the dressing gown she was wearing caught alight.
She appears to have made her way through the house and collapsed on the back step. She was found by a caregiver shortly before 10am this morning.
The fire service were called to the scene but any fire, which appears to have been contained to the dressing gown, had already been extinguished by the woman or had burned itself out.
Police are making local enquiries. The woman will not be named until next of kin have been informed and a formal identification has taken place.
Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 06 351 2546 or 027 234 8256.