A 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence following a fire that killed four children in Stafford have been released on bail, Staffordshire Police said.

The pair were arrested at around 1.30pm on Friday.

Riley Holt, eight, Keegan Unitt, six, Olly Unitt, three, and Tilly Rose Unitt, four, died after the blaze in Sycamore Lane, Highfields, Stafford, on Tuesday.

A fifth child, named locally as two-year-old Jack, was taken to hospital after escaping the fire from a first-floor window with his mother Natalie Unitt and her partner Chris Moulton.

A statement from Staffordshire Police said: “A 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence following a house fire in Stafford have been bailed while enquiries continue.

“The arrests followed a house fire in Sycamore Lane, Highfields, Stafford, on 5 February in which four children tragically lost their lives. The man and woman arrested are living at an address out of the area.

“We understand this incident has had a huge impact on the community in Highfields and beyond and we appreciate there will continue to be demand for information.”

The police are urging people “not to speculate as to what may have happened”.

Moulton, 28, is understood to have received treatment for burns and Unitt, 24, for smoke inhalation – injuries which were believed to be non-life-threatening.

A fundraising page set up for the family of the four children has since reached over £28,500 – with more than 1,800 people donating money.

A spokeswoman for South Staffordshire Coroner’s Court said the post-mortem examinations of the four children have not yet been completed but their file had been passed to the coroner.

Emotional tributes have been paid to the youngsters, with teachers describing them as “bright, happy, loving and lively”.