Family's poignant plea on fire alarms

Brian Stoddard spoke out as he and his surviving children -- three daughters and two sons -- marked the first anniversary of the tragedy that cost mum Gaynor Stoddard and four-year-old Brandon their lives.

The pair became trapped in an upstairs room after Brandon had set fire to the house. An inquest was told the youngsters had developed an an "unhealthy, but not malicious, interest" in fire before their deaths.

Brandon died within hours of being rescued, while Gaynor died three days later.

To mark the anniversary of the death, Brian and his children -- Aaron, 12, Dean, 11, who suffers from Down's Syndrome, Melanie, Lyndsay and Lisa -- returned to the scene of the fire in Lonsdale Street, Accrington, and placed flowers and cards in front of the house.

Brian said: "We were the only ones there but it was very poignant. The last year has been very hard. We now have one wish, and that is for people not to forget Gaynor or Brandon.

"So many people helped us just after the fire but people seem to have forgotten what happened.

"I would like people to look at us and think to themselves what they can do to stop a similar tragedy happening to them.

"I want people to go and get smoke alarms." In the wake of the Lonsdale Street blaze, fire crews in Accrington offered to fit smoke alarms in houses in the town.

The firemen were so saddened by the tragedy that the watch involved in the rescue, White Watch, attended the funeral.

Brian and his neighbours tried in vain to rescue Brandon and Gaynor from their burning house but were forced back by the intense flames.

Brandon died of smoke inhalation.

It took months before Brian could explain the deaths to his disabled son and the family also cancelled Christmas.

They also spent several weeks living in a homeless hostel after they were left homeless. Century 21 offered them a new home when the Lancashire Evening Telegraph intervened.