Fire victims' funerals to be held

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The funerals of a mother and her four daughters who died when their Lancashire home was deliberately set on fire are to take place on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people are expected to pay their respects to Caneze Riaz and her daughters Sayrah, 16, Sophia, 12, Alisha, 10 and three-year-old Hannah.

All five died from smoke inhalation in the early hours of 1 November.

A private family service will be followed by a public service at 1430 GMT in Accrington cemetery.

The body of the girls' father, Mohammed Riaz, who died from burns two days after the blaze, will be sent back to his native Pakistan for burial once it is released by police.

Mohammed, 49, who worked in a plastics factory in Blackburn, was pulled alive from the blaze but suffered 50% burns and died at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester on Friday morning.

Mohammed Riaz' body will be sent back to his native Pakistan for burial

Detectives believe he may have been responsible for the blaze at the property on Tremellen Street and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the fire.

Fires had been started in several areas of the end terrace house.

Police said that whoever set the fires remained there, as the property was securely locked.

An inquest into all six deaths will be officially opened by Hyndburn's coroner in Blackburn's Old Town Hall on Tuesday, but the full inquest will take place in February.

Detectives have yet to find a motive for the murders but it has been suggested that Mrs Riaz and her husband had been having marital problems.

The couple's 17-year-old son Adam was the only member of the family to escape the tragedy, as he was in hospital undergoing treatment for leukaemia.

A book of condolence has been opened for the family at Accrington Town Hall.