Mother and baby die in arson attack

A woman and her baby son died in a suspected arson attack in Britain that left three other family members seriously hurt, police said today.

The 22-year-old and her 15-month-old child were killed in the blaze at a house in Chatham, Kent around 2.30am today.

A 49-year-old man believed to be her father is in hospital with life-threatening burns, while her mother is also in a serious condition with burn and smoke inhalation injuries.

A 21-year-old man, believed to be her brother, suffered a broken ankle.

Kent police Chief Superintendent Neil Jerome today appealed for help in finding out what happened.

The Medway area of the county saw a series of arson attacks last month, and officers are investigating the possibility of a link with the other fires, a Kent Police spokeswoman said.