A MURDER investigation is underway after a teenage boy died after he suffered horrific burns in a skip fire.

Michael Temperley, 15, of Low Fell, Gateshead, died in hospital in the early hours of yesterday, after being found in a sealed industrial container which was on fire on the Team Valley Industrial Estate, Gateshead.

Two youths aged 15 and 16, were arrested at the scene and were last night being questioned by Northumbria Police.

Detective Superintendent Tony Thornton, who is leading the enquiry, said: "I cannot imagine a more horrific ordeal to go through.

"Our investigations are at a very early stage, but we are treating this as a murder inquiry"

Fire crews received several calls at 7.55pm on Monday, from people reporting a skip full of cardboard on fire in a yard between the Halfords and Durham Pine stores.

They found the boy still alive, but he had suffered horrendous burns. He was taken to hospital, where he died with his family at his bedside.

His mother Linda, father Howard, and 19-year-old brother Richard, were said to be distraught last night.

Detectives said they did not know why Michael, a pupil at the Joseph Swan School in Low Fell, was in the area.

Det Supt Thornton said: "Michael's family are absolutely devastated, and all we can do is proceed with our inquiries as best we can and with as much sensitivity as we can.

"It is difficult to imagine how awful it must have been for anyone to have come across this kind of horrific scene.

"There are children who play in and around this estate but, to the best of my knowledge, it has never been a problem of security before."