Mother's grief over car blaze toddlers

The mother of two toddlers who burned to death in a car outside a suspected drugs den today told of her frantic efforts to save them.

Sulie Averis wept as she told a press conference how she and Damien Moore, the children's father, had left Shannon, three, and Kearan, four months, alone for only "two to three minutes" while she went inside the house to collect some money she was owed for cleaning.

"We pulled our children out of the car to try and resuscitate them - we tried everything but it was too late, said Ms Averis. "Cherish your kids because you never know what you've lost until they've gone."

The parents managed to pull the children from the wreckage last night and give them mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Firemen soon arrived and attempted to revive the youngsters.

Neighbours heard Ms Averis screaming for help before she and her partner frantically tried to revive the children. The children died on their way to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Weeping and holding Mr Moore's hand, Ms Averis told the conference: "I went to pick up my boyfriend and said to my kids 'I'll be back in two minutes'."

She said that when she left the children, "I put the seatbelts on and locked the doors." She said her friend, for whom she was cleaning the house, gave her money. She said of the children: "They waved at me."

Ms Averis, of Spencer's Wood, Reading, said she asked to use her friend's lavatory, and when she came back downstairs, she saw smoke billowing out of the car. Ms Averis continued: "They were well-loved children and the message is to everyone is never, ever leave your kids in your car.

One eyewitness who saw the car in flames, said: "It seemed to just erupt into a huge fireball."

As an investigation into the deaths of the boy and his sister in their parents' Vauxhall Cavalier in Reading began, police sources and neighbours said the house was suspected to be a haven for drug dealing.

One neighbour said: "There are always loads of kids there on Friday and Saturday nights. We've complained to police about it - everyone knows they are dealing in there."

The terrace house in Lower Earley has an intercom and a security camera outside the front door. Today flowers were being placed at the blackened spot outside where the two children died at 6pm.

Another neighbour said: "There are always groups of kids waiting around, larking about and going in and buying stuff. I have complained to police about it before." Police are investigating how it took the parents so long to discover their car was on fire.

Police sources say they are investigating the possibility that one of the children may have been playing with a lighter. "The house is known as the alleged source of drug dealing, although we can't say whether this is relevant at this stage," the source said.

A Thames Valley police spokesman confirmed they had not ruled out the possibility of a drugs link to the incident but there is no suggestion at this stage that the parents are involved with drugs.

The spokesman added: "We are aware neighbours have put in calls to Crimewatch about activities at this address."

Another eyewitness said: "I just looked out of the window and the car was engulfed in flames. I had no idea there were kids inside; the flames were very high and they lit up the whole area. I saw the bodies being taken to the ambulance. I didn't know they were in the car at the time but it didn't make sense why they were in there."

Detective Inspector John Purnell of Thames Valley Police said: "The parents tried to give them the kiss of life and did everything they could think of to try and save them. Unfortunately it was not possible."

A spokesman for the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Two firefighters gave the kiss of life and heart massage and managed to bring the children back to life.

"They handed them over to the paramedics as soon as the ambulances started to arrive. Tragically they died either on the way to the hospital."

Another neighbour heard the mother's screams as she realised what was happening. "I looked out of my bedroom window and saw flames leaping from the car. Then I heard a woman screaming. She was very distraught," he said. The car was later taken away for detailed examination.