A grief-stricken grandmother has told how her dying daughter shielded her child from fierce flames in a house blaze which left three dead.

Rose Yates paid tribute to her three children as she relived the horror of the inferno which claimed their lives.

Devastated Rose told how she desperately tried to reach her children as the fire swept through their home at Pelham Street, Middlesbrough, Teesside.

Her son Lee, 18, and daughters Joanne, 22, and Gail 27, were killed.

Gail's two-year-old daughter Megan survived the blaze - only after her brave mum shielded her from the flames and intense heat in a selfless final act of love.

Grandmother Rose, 45, and her partner Eddie Rainbow, 57, a stroke victim, were sleeping downstairs when the fire broke out, and were unable to reach the three.

The couple, still numb with shock, talked sadly of their three "beautiful children", who had always been happy and full of life.

"I will miss everything about them," said Rose.

"The arguments, the making up, the laughs we had, the parties and family nights out.

"I was completely devastated when I was told they had died.

"I still can't believe it, it still hasn't sunk in yet.

"I want to pay tribute to them. I want people to know about them.

"Gail and I argued all the time, and always made up. The next day we would be fooling about again. Joanne was quiet and timid and would do anything for anybody, and Lee was happy-go-lucky."

Due to the severity of the siblings' injuries, police have yet to formally identify them. Rose also lost another son in June last year.

Gary, 18, died after taking an overdose of anti-depressant tablets.

"It is very hard losing four children. We are a very close family," said Rose.

The couple have two other children, Kerry, 21, and Anthony, 25, who both live in Middlesbrough.

Little Megan is now recovering in hospital after undergoing emergency skin grafts.

Rose said: "Megan survived because of Gail. She was a great mother and it was definitely her who covered Megan.

"She must have realised what was going to happen and protected Megan. That's why she survived."

The couple told of the horrifying ordeal that unfolded in the early hours of Saturday.

Rose added: "Me, Lee, and Joanne had been drinking together. They went to bed at about 11.30pm.

"Megan was asleep on my bed, and Joanne carried her upstairs.

"Gail had been out fo the night. I don't know what time she got in.

"The sound of breaking glass woke me up and I thought someone was breaking in.

"Then I thought Lee must have been awake, maybe throwing something out the window.

"I got to the bottom of the stairs and saw the flames coming from the back bedroom.

"I tried calling 999 but was panicking so much I couldn't dial properly.

"I tried to go upstairs but it was too hot.

"I shouted at Joanne to wake up and wake the others up.

"I heard her shouting at them but they couldn't get out."

Passers-by Thomas Whittaker and Shaun Robson, who spotted the fire from Linthorpe Road, raised the alarm then risked their own lives trying to save those trapped.

Rose said: "The lads who were passing by really tried to get up, but they couldn't.

"One of them soaked a quilt with water and wrapped it around himself, but he still couldn't get to the bedroom."

The back bedroom, where the fire started, had been Gary's. It hadn't been used since he died.

Rose said: "The stairs to Lee's bedroom are in the back bedroom, so even if he had woken up he would never have got out. But he didn't wake up. The smoke killed him.

"The loft and back bedroom were ablaze by the time the fire brigade arrived.

"I had a feeling Lee was dead because he was in the loft but they got the two girls and Megan out alive so I thought they would be OK.

"We weren't in hospital long when we were told the three of them had died."

Forensic officers have established the fire started in the back bedroom, but are still investigating a possible cause.

Rose said: "I can only think that maybe Lee went to bed with a cigarette in his hand and when he fell asleep he dropped it down the stairs onto the mattress below in the back room. But we won't know until the investigations are over.

"We were allowed back into the house to salvage some personal things, like photographs and medication, but we lost everything else including our clothes - but that is nothing compared to the three lives.

"We had no smoke alarms in the house, which we rented privately. If we had they might have made a difference."

Lee, Gail and Joanne all grew up in Thorntree, attending Thorntree Primary School and Langbaurgh Comprehensive School.

Gail had started a new job in Cash Converters on Linthorpe Road just last Thursday.

Previously she was a manager at McDonald's, near the UGC Cinema, and was also due to start work at Annie's Bar on Saturday night.

Joanne was Gail's childminder, and Lee also worked in McDonald's.

Lee's new puppy Nipper also died in the fire.