'One of the worst house fires seen in years' - The haunting aftermath of tragedy on a suburban street

Poignantly flowers have been left on the roof of a vehicle parked in the driveway. Gold and yellow they contrast starkly with the blackened window frames and scorched walls of the house behind them.

The fire-charred remains of what was once a home stand as the aftermath of a tragedy in a south Manchester suburb. These haunting pictures capture the intensity of the fire that swept through the semi-detached property in Chorlton taking one man's life.

One firefighter said: "A colleague described the scene as like something from The Blitz. The fire was so fierce it was one of the worst house fires seen in years. Smoke and flames were coming out of every window. It completely enveloped the property."

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Neighbours of the man who died have left bouquets outside the house which is on the tree-lined Ellesmere Road South. It is believed the fire involved an e-scooter. The man who died is understood to have been 76 years old.

The fire service responded after it received multiple 999 calls from the public just after 3am on Friday. Four fire engines from Moss Side, Withington, Sale and Stretford Community Fire Stations were quickly mobilised to the blaze.

Crews faced were met with an inferno that had spread through the ground and first floors of the house. One man in his 30s managed to escape from the building and was treated by GMFRS crews before being cared for by paramedics and taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.

Firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used multiple hose reels to tackle the fire while searching the property in an attempt to rescue another man. Sadly, a man in his 70s was found and had died in the property. The fire was extinguished at around 7am and a full investigation into the cause of the blaze is