A young boy confessed to starting a fire which killed his grandmother, an inquest heard.

Teacher Sheila Hill, 54, died from smoke inhalation after being overcome by fumes in the flat where she lived in Bexhill on August 27, 2004.

Fire investigators believe someone started the blaze either accidentally or deliberately in a ground-floor passageway in the three-storey terrace.

An inquest in Hastings heard yesterday that several months after Mrs Hill's death, her grandson - who lived in a flat below her with his mother - broke down and confessed to starting the blaze.

His mother said her son - aged eight at the time of the fire - told her he was feeling sick and said he had something to disclose to her but was worried she might become angry.

Ms Hill told the inquest she reassured her son and he eventually told her he was responsible for the fire but refused to elaborate on how and why he started it.

The Argus reported last year how a previous inquest in November was adjourned by East Sussex Coroner Alan Craze after he heard of the confession, to enable the boy to be interviewed by police and social workers.

Detective Sergeant Leighton Morgan, of Bexhill CID, told the resumed hearing that during the videotaped interview at Battle police station on February 2, the boy suggested he started the fire with a thick stick or a plank.

Mr Morgan said the boy became "very reluctant" and declined to explain further what happened.

During the course of questioning, he repeatedly demanded £5 to reveal more information.

He also responded to questions by saying, "that's for me to know and you to find out" on several occasions and threatened on one occasion to start a fire if he was not allowed to go from the interview.

House-to-house inquiries and examination of CCTV footage failed to shed further light on the fire, Mr Morgan said.

He believed it was a "strong possibility" the boy was responsible but that even if he was old enough to be prosecuted, insufficient evidence meant a criminal case could not proceed.

Forensic fire investigator Nicola Thomas said: "I couldn't find any electrical items that presented problems so it appears the fire was started as a result of a human act."

Mr Craze said he believed the boy was reluctant to answer questions through an unwillingness to come to terms with the tragedy, rather than through fear of self-incrimination.

He recorded a narrative verdict, saying: "The deceased died from smoke inhalation in a fire in her home. How it started remains unclear despite full investigation.

"On a balance of probabilities, I would say the boy is right when he said he did start the fire.

"But if you were to ask me on a balance of probabilities whether it was an accident, I couldn't say one way or another."