A woman who died in a house blaze, which also claimed the lives of two members of her family, was questioned on suspicion of arson only weeks earlier, it was revealed last night.

Joanne Yates, 22, died in the fire at Pelham Street, Middlesbrough, along with her elder sister Gail, 27, and 18-year-old brother Lee.

Police have now revealed that Joanne was held after a fire at an address nearby earlier this month.

A Cleveland Police spokes-man said: "We can confirm Joanne was arrested earlier this month following a small fire in Stowe Street, Middlesbrough, where she was staying.

"A full investigation was carried out, and the Crown Prosecution Service deemed insufficient evidence to proceed with a charge."

Joanne and her sister, Gail, and Gail's two-year-old daughter, Megan, only moved from the Stowe Street property to their mother's house in Pelham Street after the fire.

Mark Whelan, director of operations and community safety at Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "I can confirm that we attended a fire on August 3 at 4.38am on Stowe Street, Middlesbrough.

"There was a fire in the hallway and we believed it was deliberate ignition."

The girls' mother, Rose Yates, 45, said last night: "The house on Stowe Street was Gail's, and all of them were living there at the time of the fire.

"I don't really know much about what happened that night."

Megan, who was shielded from the latest fire by her mother, was last night said to be in a stable condition in hospital.