Your live updates for the day...published at 18:01 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
That is the end of today's live updates.
We will back on Monday morning but in the meantime please watch out for updates appearing here over the weekend.
Summary
Two children have died after a house fire in Birmingham
Boy, eight, and girl, six, were taken to hospital but could not be saved
Man believed to be their father found in burnt-out car
He suffered life-threatening injuries and is in a critical condition
Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the case
Updates on Friday 28 October 2016
Your live updates for the day...published at 18:01 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Watch: Latest weather for the West Midlandspublished at 17:59 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
It'll be dry but largely cloudy overnight with light winds and it will stay mild.
Some mist or fog patches are likely to form in spots later in the night.
Media caption, BBC Midlands Today's Rebecca Wood with your forecast
Passengers disruptive behaviour causes flight to turn backpublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Disruptive behaviour from two passengers caused a flight from Tenerife to Birmingham to be diverted back to Tenerife.
Airline carrier Monarch said the two passengers were "offloaded" from yesterday's flight due to their behaviour.
A passenger was subsequently arrested, a spokesman said.
All passengers are now back home.
Children's mother working with police investigating suspicious firepublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LivePolice say they are working with the mother of two children who died following a suspicious blaze at a house in Hamstead, Birmingham, to find out exactly what happened in the lead up to their deaths.
Det Ch Insp Martin Slevin, leading the investigation, said: "At this stage we're still trying to establish what exactly took place.
"The mother of the children is helping the police to try and give us that information and is being supported by specially trained officers."
A man believed to be the father of the deceased children is in a serious condition in hospital following a car fire in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
Officers have urged anyone who saw a black Vauxhall Insignia in the Hamstead area at about 03:00 on Friday to get in touch.
Police cordon extended around house fire scenepublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Bob Hockenhull
BBC Midlands TodayThe cordoned-off area at the scene of a house fire which ended in the deaths of a boy and girl has been extended.
Police are treating the circumstances surrounding their death as suspicious and are no longer looking for anyone else in relation to the blaze after a man, believed to be the children's father, was found with serious injuries in a car fire in Staffordshire.
It is thought a woman seen screaming at the scene in Holland Road, Hamstead, is the children's mother.
Police remain in Hamsteadpublished at 17:29 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveA police cordon remains in place as investigations continue into the deaths of an eight-year-old boy and a girl aged 6.
A police press conference was held this afternoon in which the leading officer said the force was speaking to the mother of the children to get more information into the events leading up to the "suspicious fire".
Image source, PAA man, thought to be the children's father, is being treated in hospital for serious burns after emergency services were called to a car fire in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
Police are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident but continue to appeal for witnesses.
Image source, PAPost-mortem tests expected to be carried out tomorrowpublished at 17:16 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Police say firefighters extinguished "a small fire" in the hallway of the house in Holland Road, Hamstead following the deaths of two children.
Paramedics treated a boy aged eight and girl, six, but they died shortly after arriving in hospital
The cause of death is unknown and post-mortem tests are expected to be carried out tomorrow morning.
Road closed while police investigate car firepublished at 17:04 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
The A53 Whitmore Road in Butterton, Staffordshire is closed after a man was seriously injured in a car fire - the incident is believed to be linked to the deaths of two children in Birmingham.
Police said the man who is critically ill after extensive burns is thought to be the children's father.
The lead officer in the case said the force isn't looking for anyone else as part of their investigation,
The man thought to be in his 30s was found with the car at about 07:15 and taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Attempted murder investigation launchedpublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Detectives have launched an attempted murder investigation this morning, external (28/10) after a man was shot in Handsworth Wood.
Image source, Birmingham UpdatesAt the scene: Investigations continue into house firepublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BBC News ChannelInvestigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of two children who were found in a house that was on fire.
There's a steady police presence at the cordoned-off scene in Holland Road, Hamstead.
Man being treated for burns to his face, head and handpublished at 16:27 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Two children died after a fire in the hallway of the house in Holland Road, Hamstead, this morning.
Image source, PAA man in his 30s, thought to be the children's father, was found inside the car on the A53 Whitmore Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, at about 07:15.
Police say he's in hospital being treated for life-threatening injuries after suffering burns to his face, head and hand.
A police spokesperson said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the fire.
Two children dead following Holland Road house fire in Hamsteadpublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Great Barr ObserverVideo: 'A scream like I've never heard before'published at 15:51 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Two children have died in hospital after a suspicious house fire in Birmingham.
The pair, a boy aged eight and a girl, six, were found at Holland Road, Hamstead, in the early hours.
Neighbour Dawn Hill was alerted to the tragedy by a scream that brought her out of her house. She has described the scene she found.
Media caption, Children die after Birmingham fire: Neighbour speaks of scream
Two children killed in suspected arson attackpublished at 15:41 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
You can also follow live text updates on the Birmingham Mail, external after two children died following a suspected arson attack at a Birmingham home.
Injured father found in burnt-out carpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
The father of two children who died after a suspicious house fire in Birmingham is found critically injured 40 miles from the property in a burnt-out vehicle.
Read MoreInjured father: Police not looking for anyone else in connection with children's deathspublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Police say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths of two young children pulled from a house fire in the early hours of this morning.
A man in his 30s and believed, external by police to be the children's father is being treated for serious injuries after he was found in a fire-damaged car in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
The boy and girl, aged eight and six respectively, were given CPR by emergency workers on the front lawn of the home in Hamstead, near Birmingham. They were pronounced dead at hospital.
Quote MessageThis is an absolutely tragic set of circumstances and my thoughts are with everyone who has been affected. We are still at the early stages of understanding exactly what happened and why – but I can confirm we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation
Det Ch Insp Martin Slevin, West Midlands Police Force CID
House fire: Dead children were six and eightpublished at 14:22 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
The boy and girl who died following a house fire this morning were aged eight and six respectively.
The blaze - in a hallway at the home in Holland Road, Hamstead - has been described by police as "small". The cause of their deaths is unknown.
Car blaze linked to house fire deathspublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
BreakingStephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveA car found with significant fire damage is being linked by police to a man in his 30s who has sustained "critical injuries" - and believed to be the father of a boy and girl who died this morning following a house fire.
The vehicle - a Black Vauxhall Insignia - was discovered in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, police said.
A police spokesperson said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the fire at a house in Hamstead, near Birmingham, at which two children were found shortly before 04:00.
Officers were called to the scene in Staffordshire at 07:15.
Two children die following house fire: What we knowpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveTwo children have died following a house fire. Here's what we know:
- Emergency services receive a 999 call at 03:36 reporting a fire at a semi-detached house in Holland Road, Hamstead
- Firefighters tackle a fire in the property's hallway
- Two children, a boy and a girl, are discovered inside - police describe them as "unwell"
- Neighbour wakes to 'terrible screams'
- West Midlands Ambulance Service says children in cardiac arrest
- Firefighters perform CPR on the children on the front lawn of the home
- Paramedics continue treatment as both taken to hospital
- There they are declared dead
- Police launch criminal investigation, external and say fire is 'suspicious'
Boy and girl dead after house fire: Police press conferencepublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 28 October 2016
Stephanie Barnard
BBC Local LiveWe're told that police are due to hold a press conference later this afternoon about the deaths of two children following a house fire.
Detective Chief Inspector Martin Slevin from West Midlands Police is due to give more details on the fire in Hamstead at about 14:00.
We'll bring you live updates when the press conference is under way.
