The forty-year-old man became a human fireball in the garden of a former nursing home in Wirral. He later died in Arrowe Park Hospital, Upton.

In February 2006, Loango Estates were awarded planning permission for the building, and neighbours believed it was being turned into flats.

Kimberley Wilson, who lives near what used to be the Ballynanty nursing home in Seabank Road, Wallasey, said she saw the man in flames in the garden when she went to make tea. At first she thought he was a pile of leaves or rubbish on fire.

She said: "It was hard to see what it was at first. We couldn't tell it was a person until we realised it was moving, as if he was rolling around trying to put himself out."

Miss Wilson ran to help, while her mother Julie called 999. By the time she arrived in the garden the flames were almost out.

A joint investigation into the blaze was launched by the Health and Safety Executive, the fire service and Merseyside police. Yet again, the Health and Safety Executive arrive at the scene of a death on Merseyside. Yet again, they have failed to identify a problem before it claimed a life.