Three children die in Bridlington house fire

“[Fire crews] made a search of the building and, very regrettably, we found four casualties who were rescued from the second floor of the building.

“We took them outside, we worked extremely hard with the police and the paramedics. We undertook some resuscitation before conveying them away to hospital.”

Nurse Lesley Salisbury, 59, described how she was woken in the night and helped perform first aid on the youngsters.

“A firefighter brought out a little boy.

“I told him I was a nurse and I started to work on him. I think I just went into nurse mode.

“I was doing chest compressions and the firefighters were doing the oxygen. After that it was just a blur, a dreadful blur.

“Some of the neighbours said I worked on the other two as well but I don’t really remember.

“I do remember the firefighters bringing them out, they were like little rag dolls.”

Sue Everson, headteacher at Hilderthorpe Primary School, where the children attended, said their deaths had devastated staff and pupils.

She added: “All of us at Hilderthorpe Primary School are shocked and saddened by the news that three of our pupils have died.”