A man has been charged with murder more than a year-and-a-half after the death of a "loving grandmother."
Eulin Hastings, 74, was pulled from her home by firefighters following the blaze in Birchanger Road in January 2017. She died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.
At the time, friends and neighbours paid tribute to the mother-of-three
Janice Kentfield, 42, said: "She was a church-going lady, very active and very youthful. I was surprised to find out she was 74.
"She was very chatty, very neighbourly. We would often stop and talk in the street.
"I know she has a son, in his 40s, maybe a bit older. He would come round with the two kids, they seemed like a close-knit family."
A close friend of Ms Hastings, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We knew her well. She was a lovely and will be missed immensely.
"She was a loving grandmother and It's such a shame to have lost her like this."
A murder investigation was launched and now police have charged Aaron Fyle, 27, currently of HMP Highdown with murder and one count of burglary.
He will appear at Croydon Magistrates Court on 07 September.
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