Jeremy Armstrong

Seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her 34-year-old aunt, Natalie McDonald, died after a house fire on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown near Middlesbrough. A 48-year-old woman remains critically ill and three others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Cleveland Police have launched a murder investigation and arrested two men, while keeping open the possibility of links between the fire and wider organized crime connected to the fatal A66 crash. The crash killed police officers Matthew Blades and Tom Clough and five occupants of a Volkswagen Passat: Cole Worthy, Theo Rae, Makai Saddington, Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak. Inquests into the seven deaths are due to open, while police investigations continue and a fundraising appeal for the officers’ families has exceeded £1 million.

A house fire on Birchington Avenue in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, killed two people, including a child believed by witnesses to be a seven-year-old girl, and injured four others. A woman remains in critical condition, while three others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Two men aged 23 and 31 were arrested on suspicion of murder. Cleveland Police are investigating the circumstances and have not ruled out links to wider organised crime or the recent A66 crash, which killed seven people including two police officers. Neighbours described efforts to rescue children from the burning property, while officials urged the public not to spread unconfirmed rumours.