Two young children die in suspected arson attack

Two young children have been killed after a suspected arson attack on a house in Derbyshire, police said today.

Firefighters were called out to the blaze at the house in Buxton just before midnight. A woman and a child escaped from a first floor bedroom but two other children were confirmed to have died in the fire.

Derbyshire police said the incident was being treated as suspicious.

"My thoughts at this time are with the victims of the tragedy and their families," Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill said in a statement.

"Our investigation into the cause of this fire will continue together with the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service to determine how it started."