Teenage girl found on fire in street dies

Police, medics and firefighters were called at 1.10am yesterday to reports of a burning woman on the level crossing near a Tesco branch at West Barnes Lane in New Malden.

They managed to extinguish the fire but the woman, believed to have been about 18, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokeswoman for the London Fire Brigade said she had suffered burns on every part of her body.

Officers believe they know the identity of the deceased and have informed next of kin, but no formal identification has taken place.

Her death is being treated as unexplained pending an investigation by officers from Merton Borough and the London Fire Brigade.

Scotland Yard said it believed the fire started in a nearby house in Linkway.

Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident should call 101.