AN ELDERLY woman and a man died in a huge blaze early on Saturday morning that ravaged the Copthorne cottage where they lived.
Firefighters were called to The Lodge at Great Finches Farm, an isolated and hidden property off the A264 (Snow Hill) at 12.35am.
At first it was too dangerous for the crews to get inside the property and it was not until about 9am that the 83-year-old woman's body was found.
Crews were still dampening the ruins and investigating 11 hours after being called to the inferno.
It was not until Sunday afternoon that a second body, that of a 52-year-old man, was found after investigators gained access to a bedroom that had collapsed onto the ground floor.
It is believed that the victims, neither of whom had been named before the Mirror went to press, were a mother and son.
Neighbour Gill Haridemou called 999 after her daughter spotted flames and smoke through her window.
She said: "My daughter woke me up to say there was a fire across the road.
"She had heard a loud boom.
"It was how you would expect a shotgun to sound, and she could see flames through her window.
"At first we thought it was the forest area that was alight but I quickly realised the old cottage is around there."
A West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said inquiries are continuing, but the cause of the fire is likely to have been cigarettes.
