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A beloved mum had to be identified using DNA technology after a horrific house fire caused an 'explosion' at her home and left it looking "like a shell".

An inquest heard Amanda Cox's cause of death could not be determined due to the severity of the blaze in the early hours of March 4 this year. Firefighters arrived at her home in less than 10 minutes, finding the property 'well alight', and it took several fire engines to tame the inferno, the inquest heard.

An 'explosion' blew out her front living room window in Reddish, Stockport, Greater Manchester just before 12.30am, the hearing was told. The fire caused 'extensive and catastrophic damage' to the house, with a significant portion of the roof and first floor collapsing.

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Detective Inspector Michael

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