A 25-year-old man died in a bedroom fire in a shared house in Borehamwood last week.

The man, who has not been formally identified, is believed to have been found dead by firefighters who were called to blaze at the house, in Essex Road, at 4.30pm last Friday.

The fire was contained to the man's upstairs bedroom, at the back of the house, and two house-mates who were in at the time ,, David McCay, 26, and Peter Orchard ,, escaped without injury. A fourth person living at the property, Rob Shepherd, was at work. Police are not treating the blaze as suspicious.

Mr McCay, who moved into the house-share a year ago, paid tribute to his friend who died.

He said: 'We are all completely and utterly shocked. It is hard to find the words.

'He was a nice lad ,, he was a good friend. He enjoyed the local pub, having a few pints, watching the football and rugby. He was an average lad.'

The deceased man is understood to have returned, the weekend before he died, from a holiday in the United States, where he had visited family.

Mr McCay called the emergency services when he became aware of a fire in the bedroom.

Firefighters arrived within four minutes, and went into the house wearing breathing apparatus.

It took 15 firefighters, from Borehamwood, Radlett and Garston stations, half-an-hour to get the fire under control.

An inquest into the man's death is due to be opened once he has been formally identified.

Mr McCay praised firefighters and police for their quick response to his call.

A Hertfordshire police spokeswoman confirmed: 'Police were called to a report of a fire at that address, at 4.30pm on July 7.

'We discovered the body of a 25-year-old man. There are not any suspicious circumstances.'