Fire investigators are looking at the possibility that Christmas lights started a blaze that killed a family of five.

The mother and father and their two daughters and a son, all aged under 10, were discovered by firefighters called to the blaze in Hayes, Middlesex.They spent nearly two hours battling the flames after they were called to the address at Willenhall Drive just before 3am on Saturday.

Fire investigators said they had ruled out arson and were looking at the possibility that the cause could have been the large number of Christmas lights that the family had inside and outside of the semi-detached house.

Mazin Daod, a fire service spokesman, said: "At this stage it is difficult to tell how the fire started because of the level of destruction, but we are looking into every possibility.

"This time of year candles and lights are brought down from the loft and dusted off, Christmas trees can be a real hazard - you have got so much additional fuel.

''He said his officers had found two adults and child downstairs and two other children upstairs, but by the time they arrived nothing could be done for them.

The spokesman added: "Especially when you come across children it is hard. They are all upset about it.'

'Police said the family was not being named until relatives had been told of the tragedy.

Neighbours in the well-maintained cul-de-sac wept as they described how they fought the fire with a garden hose. Isabel Kiflie, a 31-year-old mother from Colombia said she had known the family well and their children used to play together in her garden. She said: "The children were just so lovely - so lovely. They came over last Sunday to see my new baby and the nine-year-old was so excited because she wanted to spend Christmas with my baby. They were the nicest family - friendly with everyone. I just cannot believe it.''She said: "It was like something out of a film I was so scared, it was really loud and when I was standing here there was an explosion and all the windows broke. We tried to use a hose but it was so hot and nothing stopped it.

''Mrs Kiflie, 31, said she thought the parents had moved to Britain from Mauritius before their children were born. She said she had become friendly with the family when she was pregnant earlier this year. "The little boy used to come and play with my son. They were very friendly people and would always say hello. It's awful.''