Two men found guilty of murdering four children in Walkden house fire

Two men have been found guilty of murdering four children - who died in a house fire in Walkden - just weeks before Christmas.

15-year old Demi, 8-year old Brandon, 7-year old Lacie and three-year old Lia all died in the blaze at their home on Jackson Street in the early hours of 11th December 2017.

The children's mum Michelle was rescued from the fire and is still recovering from serious injuries in hospital.

23-year old Zak Bolland and 26-year old David Worrall have been found guilty of four counts of murder by a jury following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court today.

20-year old Courtney Brierley - who has been on trial accused of murder - has been found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

Bolland was also found guilty of three counts of attempted murder. Worrall was found not guilty of attempted murder but guilty of attempted GBH with intent.

Brierley was found not guilty of attempted murder.

The court heard how Zak Bolland petrol bombed the Pearson's home following a so-called "petty" feud with the children's older brother Kyle Pearson.

The jury was told there had been a series of "tit-for-tat" attacks between the former friends weeks before the blaze.

Bolland believed Kyle was somehow involved in his car being set on fire and was demanding the Pearson family pay for the damage - which they repeatedly refused.

This prompted a series of escalating attacks.

Bolland admitted in court to smashing the windows on the Pearson family's home, to setting the wheelie bins on fire and to sending threatening text messages demanding money to the children's mum Michelle.

On the night of the fire, Bolland had been drinking alcohol and taking drugs along with his friend David Worrall and his girlfriend Courtney Brierley.

They all went to a petrol station. Brierley waited in the car whilst the two men bought £1.50 of petrol.

They then went to Bolland's house where Bolland and Worrall made petrol bombs out of alcohol bottles and tissue.

They all went to Jackson Street and Brierley once again waited in the car whilst the men broke into the family's back garden.

The court heard the two men smashed the kitchen window with an axe, slashed the blind with a machete and threw the petrol bombs inside.

Demi, Brandon and Lacie tried to escape but didn't make it.

Lia died in hospital three days later.

Their mum Michelle was rescued from the house but is still recovering in hospital six months on.

Here is the damage to the house caused by the fire:

Her son Kyle Pearson and his friend Bobby Harris - who were in the house at the time - managed to escape from the fire.

Michelle woke up from a coma and was only told a few weeks ago she had lost four of her six children.