The mother of Jack Sykes posted this harrowing photo of him in hospital on her Facebook page after he died of injuries caused by a house fire which killed his father, Darren, and brother, Paul . A father ‘murdered’ his two sons by luring them into an attic playroom and setting the house on fire, it was claimed yesterday. Darren Sykes – who also died in the blaze – tricked Jack, 12, and Paul, nine, into believing they could play on a new train set he had bought for them. He started a fire using fuel downstairs, went into the attic room and closed the hatch as the fire began to rip through the building, said his ex-wife. In a traumatic account, 42-year-old Claire Sykes said her children were caught ‘like rats in a trap’ by their cruel father. The elder boy managed to get out of the loft room only to suffer terrible burns below, according to his family. All three were rescued by firemen wearing breathing apparatus after neighbours realised the house was in flames. But the 44-year-old father and his younger son were pronounced dead when they arrived at hospital. Jack clung to life in intensive care for five days with his mother at his bedside. He died on Monday. Yesterday Mrs Sykes spoke of how her ex-husband ‘murdered’ their sons over the bitter family split. She said: ‘He was adamant I wouldn’t get anything following the divorce and this was his way of making sure of that. ‘I want people to know they were murdered by their father. I can just see them running hell for leather up those stairs. They had no chance. 'Darren had been texting them all day about these new trains he had, and they seemed quite excited that he was showing an interest. ‘They must have shot straight into the attic not knowing what he had planned. He has set it up as a playroom for them and as soon as they were in he shut the hatch. Devastated Claire Sykes has posted a series of heartbreaking messages on Facebook, accusing her former partner of murdering their sons and encouraging parents to cherish every moment with their children . The fire, which was started deliberately, killed Mr Sykes (centre) and his nine-year-old son Paul (left). His other son Jack (right) died yesterday after fighting for his life in hospital . ‘They were like rats in a trap and fell for his cold, calculated plan.’ She has also described how she treasures a pair of blankets that belonged to her two boys. She told the Daily Mirror: 'They used to come down in the morning wrapped in them. 'I can't take them off because I can still smell them.' Mrs Sykes described her ex, a carpet estimator, as ‘violent and controlling’. She left the family home in Penistone, South Yorkshire, earlier this year and they later divorced. The father, who had been given just five hours a week of access to his sons, picked the boys up from their grandmother’s house, where they were living, at 6.10pm last Wednesday. Only 20 minutes later his house was on fire, with the ‘terrified’ boys inside. Mrs Sykes, a buildings administrator, said: ‘He’s taken away the only two things I really wanted. It was his final way of taking control and getting his own way. The boys' mother said they both died in her arms and 'their hearts will stay with me forever' She made the comments in a series of heart-rending posts on the 'Pray for Jack' Facebook page . ‘If it hadn’t have been last week, it would have been a birthday or Christmas. He would have got what he wanted in the end.’ Mrs Sykes gave an emotional account of her elder son’s final hours. After suffering 50 per cent burns he battled for life at Manchester Royal Infirmary. She said: ‘I held him in my arms before he died. I told him how much I loved him and he looked at me and then I saw the light go out of his eyes. At least I got to say that to him.’ She described Jack as a ‘talented musician’ and Paul as a ‘cheeky chappy who would help anybody’. Mrs Sykes urged other parents to ‘cherish every moment they have as a family,’ adding: ‘You never know what’s around the corner.’ Police and fire investigators said evidence pointed to the fire being started deliberately and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the tragedy. An inquest will be held at a later date.
Darren Sykes tricked sons into believing they could play with the new toy .
He started fire using fuel and went into the attic room as flames took hold .
Jack, 12 , and Paul, nine, were 'trapped like rats' in attic, their mother said .
Father, 44, and youngest son died in house fire in Yorkshire last Wednesday .
Older son died in hospital five days later, from injuries sustained in the blaze .
Police have said fire was started deliberately and are not looking for anybody .
Claire Sykes has since taken to Facebook branding ex-husband a 'murderer'
She posted a tragic picture of her son in hospital as he fought for his life .
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT .
The mother of Jack Sykes posted this harrowing photo of him in hospital on her Facebook page after he died of injuries caused by a house fire which killed his father, Darren, and brother, Paul . A father ‘murdered’ his two sons by luring them into an attic playroom and setting the house on fire, it was claimed yesterday. Darren Sykes – who also died in the blaze – tricked Jack, 12, and Paul, nine, into believing they could play on a new train set he had bought for them. He started a fire using fuel downstairs, went into the attic room and closed the hatch as the fire began to rip through the building, said his ex-wife. In a traumatic account, 42-year-old Claire Sykes said her children were caught ‘like rats in a trap’ by their cruel father. The elder boy managed to get out of the loft room only to suffer terrible burns below, according to his family. All three were rescued by firemen wearing breathing apparatus after neighbours realised the house was in flames. But the 44-year-old father and his younger son were pronounced dead when they arrived at hospital. Jack clung to life in intensive care for five days with his mother at his bedside. He died on Monday. Yesterday Mrs Sykes spoke of how her ex-husband ‘murdered’ their sons over the bitter family split. She said: ‘He was adamant I wouldn’t get anything following the divorce and this was his way of making sure of that. ‘I want people to know they were murdered by their father. I can just see them running hell for leather up those stairs. They had no chance. 'Darren had been texting them all day about these new trains he had, and they seemed quite excited that he was showing an interest. ‘They must have shot straight into the attic not knowing what he had planned. He has set it up as a playroom for them and as soon as they were in he shut the hatch. Devastated Claire Sykes has posted a series of heartbreaking messages on Facebook, accusing her former partner of murdering their sons and encouraging parents to cherish every moment with their children . The fire, which was started deliberately, killed Mr Sykes (centre) and his nine-year-old son Paul (left). His other son Jack (right) died yesterday after fighting for his life in hospital . ‘They were like rats in a trap and fell for his cold, calculated plan.’ She has also described how she treasures a pair of blankets that belonged to her two boys. She told the Daily Mirror: 'They used to come down in the morning wrapped in them. 'I can't take them off because I can still smell them.' Mrs Sykes described her ex, a carpet estimator, as ‘violent and controlling’. She left the family home in Penistone, South Yorkshire, earlier this year and they later divorced. The father, who had been given just five hours a week of access to his sons, picked the boys up from their grandmother’s house, where they were living, at 6.10pm last Wednesday. Only 20 minutes later his house was on fire, with the ‘terrified’ boys inside. Mrs Sykes, a buildings administrator, said: ‘He’s taken away the only two things I really wanted. It was his final way of taking control and getting his own way. The boys' mother said they both died in her arms and 'their hearts will stay with me forever' She made the comments in a series of heart-rending posts on the 'Pray for Jack' Facebook page . ‘If it hadn’t have been last week, it would have been a birthday or Christmas. He would have got what he wanted in the end.’ Mrs Sykes gave an emotional account of her elder son’s final hours. After suffering 50 per cent burns he battled for life at Manchester Royal Infirmary. She said: ‘I held him in my arms before he died. I told him how much I loved him and he looked at me and then I saw the light go out of his eyes. At least I got to say that to him.’ She described Jack as a ‘talented musician’ and Paul as a ‘cheeky chappy who would help anybody’. Mrs Sykes urged other parents to ‘cherish every moment they have as a family,’ adding: ‘You never know what’s around the corner.’ Police and fire investigators said evidence pointed to the fire being started deliberately and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the tragedy. An inquest will be held at a later date.
after he died of injuries caused by a house fire who also died in the blaze – tricked Jack, 12, and Paul, nine, into believing they could play on started a fire using fuel downstairs, went into the attic room and closed the hatch as the fire Claire Sykes said her children were caught ‘like intensive care for five days with his mother at their sons over the bitter family split. She Sykes has posted a series of heartbreaking after fighting for his life in hospital . ‘They were like rats in a trap and fell for his cold, later his house was on fire, with the ‘terrified’ deliberately and they were not looking for anyone