AN inquest into the death of two brothers in a fire at Thornton Lodge will be opened on Friday.

The inquest will open at Bradford, concerning the death of two-year-old Junaid Hussain and his four-year-old brother Sohail on May 6.

The boys died after a blaze in a bedroom at their Rashcliffe Hill Road home.

Firefighters believe it is possible the children were playing with a cigarette lighter while their mother Nazia Akhtar, who is eight months pregnant, was downstairs with friends.

The fire was spotted by labourers working near the rear of the property, who tried to rescue to boys but were beaten back by the heat.