POLICE have opened a murder inquiry into the death of a mother of nine in a house fire that started when a firework was pushed through her letterbox.

Mary Fox, 59, died after helping her teenage son jump through an upstairs window to save him as flames engulfed the house in Bodmin, Cornwall. Neighbours said Raum Fox, 17, was being targeted by bullies.

Detective Superintendent Martin Orpe said: “We are appealing to those responsible to do the decent thing and come forward. If not, we have a team of officers who will find them. It seems there has been some bullying towards Raum in and around school. That is an issue we will be looking at in depth as part of the inquiry.”

A statement from Fox’s children yesterday paid tribute to their “devoted” mother who, they added “was, at times . . . eccentric”.

The fire started at 7.15pm last Thursday after fireworks were pushed through the door. One neighbour said yesterday that he had seen three children, aged 12-16, shouting “shame, shame” as the fire enveloped the house. Locals said the children were well-known troublemakers in the neighbourhood.

Lee Davey, a neighbour, was one of the first on the scene. “When I got there Raum was standing in his garden looking shocked,” he said. “The first thing he said to me was, ‘My mum is still in there’.”

Locals said Raum had been bullied at Bodmin college about his acne and reported learning difficulties. His mother, known as a private person, resorted to following close behind him on his way

to school to ensure he arrived there safely.

Kerry Ollerenshaw, a 36-year-old care worker and friend, said: “The kids on this estate can be very harsh. They hang around in groups, harassing and intimidating and Raum was a victim of that.”

The Fox children’s statement said: “This horrific fire makes no sense. Our mother devoted her life to us nine children and went without to provide the best that she could for us. She was at times, shall we say, eccentric; she had a sense of humour and was loving and caring. She never did anything to hurt anyone and never would.”

Times Recommends

• Postmen: We bind the nation together
• Tewkesbury: when the memories flood back
• Cast Offs actress: I’m happy that my face fits