Five children under ten killed in blaze tragedy: Man and woman held after fire engulfs council home of father of 17

A man and woman are being held on suspicion of murder after five children under the age of ten were killed in a house fire yesterday as they slept.

A boy of 13 was left fighting for his life after the blaze in the three-bedroom home of father-of-17 Michael Philpott.

Mr Philpott, 55, and wife Mairead, 31, escaped the blaze without serious injury. The former baker is said to have made a valiant attempt to rescue his children, found by firemen still in their beds.            Read More