Woman who died alongside niece, 7, in house fire was 'beautiful soul'

A woman killed in a house fire has been described by her mother as "a beautiful soul, who would have done anything for anybody".

Natalie McDonald, 34, died along with her seven-year-old niece, Valentina Foster, in the blaze in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, in the early hours of Wednesday.

Cleveland Police said the fire had also left a 48-year-old woman in a critical condition in hospital alongside another three people who suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Two men, aged 23 and 31, had been arrested on suspicion of murder and were in police custody, the force said.

Lisa Kirton, Natalie's mother, told the BBC her daughter was "lovely, bright and bubbly" and "everybody loved her".

She said Valentina, also known as Tina, had been spending the summer holidays with the family.

"She was a cute little kid," Kirton said. "I can't believe it, seven years old - it's just a disgrace."

She also said Natalie's 15-year-old daughter and a friend had managed to escape through an upstairs window.

The friend, she said, had "kicked out a window" and "had saved their lives".

A 20-year-old neighbour told the BBC how local residents had tried to rescue the occupants.

Ellie, who did not want to give her surname, said: "The entire house was scorching.

She described holding the hand of a crying woman who had jumped from an upstairs window, staying with her until paramedics arrived.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "My daughter heard shouting and screaming this morning. The dogs were barking."

On Wednesday, Police officers guarded a cordon around the scene and Northern Powergrid staff were also on site.