Woman and toddler die in house fire

A young woman and a toddler have died after a blaze at a house, police said today.

The 21-year-old woman and two-year-old boy were pulled from the burning house in Longsight, Manchester, by fire officers but died later in hospital, a police spokesman said.

Fire crews were called to the property in Britnall Avenue, off Stockport Road, at 11.15pm last night.

Neighbours said there were people inside, and six fire officers wearing breathing apparatus went into the house.

They found the woman on the landing and the boy in an upstairs bedroom, a fire service spokesman said.

The pair were treated at the scene before being taken to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, where they died a short time later.

Extensive fire and smoke damage was caused to the house.

A joint police and fire investigation is under way to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

It is too early to establish whether there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding the blaze, a Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said.