A SEVEN-year-old boy was killed and his half-brother was left fighting for his life after a fire swept through the family home.

Carl Taylor, who lived with his grandparents in Wood Vue, Spennymoor, had celebrated his seventh birthday surrounded by schoolfriends and family just before the tragedy.

The youngster was believed to be playing with his four-year-old half-brother Stephen Peel in one of the bedrooms when the blaze started on Monday evening.

Devoted grandparents Christine and John Taylor had to be held back from running into the three-bedroomed house as desperate attempts to save the boys were thwarted by the intense heat.

Neighbour John Sugden, 39, dashed upstairs to the room and managed to grab Stephen, carrying him to safety, but was beaten back by the heat when he attempted to reach Carl.

When firefighters arrived the blaze was so intense that one safety visor was burned off and the house windows were melting.

Stephen was still fighting for his life on Tuesday afternoon in Newcastle General Hospital after suffering horrific burns and smoke inhalation.

The boys' half-sister Lauren Wilkinson, three, also suffered smoke inhalation but was released after treatment.

Neighbour Ruth Ellison, said: "It is such a tragedy, it has affected everyone in the street.

"It is bad enough a little boy has been killed but it is cruel that it happened on his birthday.

"Everyone tried hard to get in. There was a young policewoman in tears in the street being held back because she was so desperate to get into the house.

"I tried to get in the house myself but I was beaten back by the smoke and the heat was so intense at the top of the stairs that I had to get out.''

Carl's grandparents, both in their early forties, had just left the house to go for a drink at Spennymoor Workingmen's Club when the alarm was raised.

Their sons John, 21, Lee, 18, Shaun, 11, and daughter Donna, 15, were at home with John's girlfriend and Lauren. The children's mother Tracey, who is believed to be from Spennymoor, was not in the house.

A full investigation by police and fire brigade specialists was under way on Tuesday.

Det Chief Inspector Jeff Watson, said they were keeping an open mind as to how the fire started.