Young brothers die in house fire

The property had blackened walls and boarded up windows

Two brothers aged five and seven have died in a house fire in Sussex.

The children were discovered dead inside the property on Milfoil Drive, Eastbourne, at about 1500 BST on Saturday, police said.

Their mother, aged 29, was taken to the town's district hospital where she was treated for minor burns and bruises.

Sussex police said the cause of the fire was unknown, and there was no evidence at this stage that it had been started deliberately.

Billowing smoke

Investigators are carrying out a full forensic examination at the property, police said.

Caryl Williams, who lives opposite the house, told of seeing smoke billowing from the property.

She said: "I looked out of the window and saw smoke just as the fire engines were coming round the corner. I saw a firefighter bring someone out, but I thought it was an adult - I didn't know it was those poor little boys.

"I didn't know them but I'd seen them playing. They were lovely little boys, they'd just been bought a new trampoline and they looked like they were having so much fun."

The house was cordoned off and neighbours laid flowers in front of the property, which had blackened walls and boarded up windows.