An Aberdeenshire pensioner was still seriously ill in hospital last night after suffering burns in a fire in his home.
Charlie Brown, 71, of Ellon, was badly injured when a blaze broke out in his living room in the town’s Esslemont Circle around 7.15am on Wednesday.
His clothes caught fire as he tried to douse the flames himself and his neighbours went to his rescue.
Last night, an NHS Grampian spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Brown “remains in a serious condition” in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
A police spokeswoman said inquiries into the incident were ongoing.
Officers have been conducting a joint investigation with the fire and rescue service.
Neighbour Stuart Woods ran to help Mr Brown after spotting smoke billowing from his home on Wednesday morning.
The 24-year-old used a fire extinguisher to tackle the blaze.
Andy Kilby, 45, and his fiancee, Cath Raven, who stay next door to Mr Brown, then removed some of his smouldering clothes and wrapped him in a wet blanket before paramedics arrived on scene.
Mr Brown is understood to have suffered burns from his shoulder blades down.
Two fire crews from Ellon using breathing apparatus and hose reel jets put out the blaze.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but a police spokesman said: “There is no indication that there were any suspicious circumstances.”