Friends rally round mother caught in fire tragedy

Friends of a woman whose four children died in a fire at their home have spoken of their shock over the tragedy.

The children, all under the age of ten, died after a blaze broke out and engulfed the property while they slept upstairs.

Neighbours struggled to reach the two boys and two girls as the fire swept through the house on Monday night in Hulland Ward, Derbyshire, but could not open the front door of the property.

The 45-year-old mother, named locally as Rachel Henson, escaped and is being treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.

Chris Beech, whose parents own a nearby store, said: "Rachel's just a lovely person, always bubbly, and she lived for her kids."