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Page last updated at 11:59 GMT, Saturday, 7 November 2009
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Murder probe into firework death


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Police give details of the firework attack on the house

A murder inquiry is under way into a fatal house fire in Cornwall which is thought to have been started when a firework was put through the letterbox.

Mary Fox, 59, died in the fire in Bodmin on Thursday evening.

Her son Raum, who is reported to have mild learning disabilities, jumped from the first floor of the house on Wallace Road after she helped him to a window.

Police officers are looking into suggestions that the 17-year-old may have been harassed by local youths.

Bullying claims

Devon and Cornwall Police have said that they "do not have any evidence in the police system to corroborate that the family or children were bullied" but added that they were looking into it.

They also said that officers would be speaking to the school attended by Raum over allegations that he was being bullied.



The key to solving the murder inquiry lies within the local community of Bodmin
Devon and Cornwall Police

Supt Martin Orpe said: "The neighbours have picked it up from somewhere, that there may have been concerns that there was bullying of the boy at the school."

A joint investigation is under way with Cornwall Fire Service into the cause of the blaze which broke out shortly after 1900 GMT.

Together with the fire service, police are also investigating suggestions that a firework may have started the blaze after one was found behind the door in the property.

Witness appeal

Det Ch Insp Paul Burgan said: "We cannot say how they got the firework in there, but it appears from the location inside the property that it was put in through the letterbox.

"At the present time we cannot find any other seat of fire."


Scene of fire A firework is believed to have started the fire in which Mary Fox died

Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward and say that the "key to solving the murder inquiry lies within the local community of Bodmin".

Supt Martin Orpe added: "I am appealing to those people involved in this to do the decent thing and come forward to the police.

"If not, I am confident from what I have seen that we will be knocking on their doors shortly.

"I would ask them to come forward, and anyone who knows fact in relation to this incident, not rumour, because there is a lot of rumour going around Bodmin, to come forward and give us that information."



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SEE ALSO 'Firework' probe following death
07 Nov 09 |  Cornwall House fire 'started by firework'
06 Nov 09 |  Cornwall
RELATED INTERNET LINKS (External) Cornwall Fire and Rescue (External) Devon and Cornwall Police The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

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