TWO people have died in a house fire this morning.

The fire brigade were called to the property in Carlton village, Stockton-on-Tees, at about 5am.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Fire Brigade said: "There has been a severe fire and unfortunately two people have died.

"Five fire appliances from Stockton, Thornaby and Middlesbrough stations attended.

"We are still trying to locate the next of kin."

Cleveland Fire Brigade and Cleveland Police, who also attended this morning, will conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Cleveland Police would not confirm the gender of the pair and said the investigation was in its very early stages.

A force spokeswoman said the fire was reported to them at 5.05am.

An employee at The Smiths pub in Carlton, who declined to be named, said: "It was something big, there were lots of units here."

Pensioner Joan Richardson, who lives near the property, said the community would pull together.

She said: "Everybody is quite shocked.

"You don't expect this in a small rural village. It is a very friendly village, everybody speaks to everybody, it is a good community.

"Everybody will pull together whatever the circumstances."