TV appeal in hotel blaze inquiry

More than 80 people managed to get out of the building safely

A television reconstruction of a Cornish hotel fire is being shown in the hope of uncovering new evidence.

Joan Harper, 80, Peter Hughes, 43, and his 86-year-old mother Monica, who were all from Staffordshire, died in the Penhallow Hotel fire last August.

A reconstruction of the incident in Newquay will be shown on BBC's Crimewatch programme.

Two men, aged 21 and 44, were arrested on suspicion of murder last month and released on bail until 9 April.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the national coverage was important.

Holiday resort

"We hope the programme will prompt people to come forward with fresh information which could prove to be crucial to our inquiry," Det Ch Insp Darren Lockley said.

When the fire broke out early on 18 August, the hotel in the popular holiday resort was close to capacity.

Up to 90 people escaped the blaze, but holidaymaker Mr Hughes, of Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire, died trying to rescue his mother, Monica.

Ms Harper, from Stoke on Trent, was also on holiday in the resort.

Last month, detectives announced the Penhallow Hotel fatalities were being treated as murder after painstaking inquiries by fire service investigators and independent experts established the fire was started deliberately.

Crimewatch will be broadcast at 2100 GMT