A man and his service dog have died following a canal boat fire in Wigan in the early hours of Christmas Day.
Emergency services were called to Crooke Hall Moorings in Standish, on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, at around 3.30am after reports that a vessel was on fire.
Greater Manchester Police said officers later found the body of a man and his service dog on the boat. Formal identification has not yet taken place.
The scene has been cordoned off while enquiries continue.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said three fire engines from Wigan and Hindley attended the incident, supported by specialist crews including the Technical Response Unit from Leigh and the Water Incident Unit from Eccles.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels, water safety equipment and specialist lighting to bring the blaze under control. Crews remained at the scene for more than 13 hours due to the severity of the fire.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed. Police said investigations are ongoing.
