Two men remanded over fire deaths

Abdullah Mohammed died in the fire at his home in Blackburn

Five men have been charged with murder after a fire at a house in Lancashire killed a couple, leaving their three children orphaned.

Mohammed Miah, 19, and Habib Iqbal, 25, both from London, were charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

They were remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on 23 November.

Muslim cleric Abdullah Mohammed, 41, and wife Ayesha, 39, died as a result of the fire at their Blackburn home.

Three other men, Sadek Miah, 23, from the Isle of Dogs, east London, Peter Bowden, 39, from Lytham St Annes and Imran Ali, 29, from Manchester, have been previously charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life.

The victims' daughter Siddiqah, 14, remains in a stable condition in hospital while her nine-year-old brother Muhammad is being looked after by extended family after being released from hospital.

Another son, Ashraf, 18, a student at Bradford University, was away at the time of the incident.