Penistone fire death brothers charity launched

Claire Throssell's sons Jack and Paul Sykes died following a house fire in October 2014

The mother of two boys killed in a house fire set deliberately by their father has launched a charity in memory of her sons.

Jack and Paul Sykes, aged 12 and nine, died when their father Darren, 44, set fire to the property in Penistone on 22 October. Mr Sykes was also killed.

Claire Throssell launched the charity, called Heads Together, at a concert in Penistone on Saturday.

It will raise money to help terminally ill children and their families.

Ms Throssell said: "The concept of it is two heads are better than one and we're hoping to help families and people who are going through a rough time and hopefully ease their situation a little bit."

An inquest into the boys' deaths heard they had been lured to their father's home with a new model train set before Sykes, who had recently separated from Ms Throssell, set fire to the building.

Sykes and Paul died in the fire while Jack died in hospital six days later.

A coroner ruled both boys had been unlawfully killed and recorded a verdict of suicide in the case of their father.