A WOMAN has been found dead at Prospect Park Hospital following a fire in a bedroom last night.

All other patients were safely evacuated from the site following the blaze which has seen one ward of the centre closed.

Police have confirmed the body of a woman in her thirties was found at the hospital yesterday after firefighters were called to the site at around 10.40pm.

Four fire crews from Reading rushed to the Honey End Lane hospital which specialises in caring for patients with mental health problems.

The woman's body was found at the scene and she was later declared deceased.

Her next of kin have been informed.

The cause of the fire could not yet be confirmed but a joint investigation between Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) and Thames Valley Police has been launched.

A spokesman for the force said: "Thames Valley Police were called to an incident at around 22.38 to a fire at Prospect Park Hospital, Reading.

"Police officers attended the scene along with firefighters from the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

"The body of a woman in her late thirties was found.

"She was later confirmed deceased at the scene."

A statement from the Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who run the site has since been released.

It said: "Late last night, there was a fire in a bedroom at Prospect Park Hospital, which unfortunately resulted in a fatality.

"Next of kin have been informed.

"We safely evacuated all other patients from this ward (as well as two other wards as a precautionary measure) to other areas of the hospital and we were able to return patients to two of the wards soon afterwards.

"One ward remains closed and patients who were on this ward are continuing to receive care within other parts of the hospital.

"A full investigation will now take place and until that happens, we are unable to provide any more information about this situation."

Ellie Grey, spokesman for RBFRS, said crews were initially called out at 10.35pm yesterday and were at the scene until 1.10am the following day.

She added: "The fire was dealt with by six firefighters in breathing apparatus using two hose reels."