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Five more children arrested over boy's fire death

Family Handout Layton Carr is wearing a blue coat and crouching down in the play area of a park. He has cropped brown hair and is smiling widely at the camera.Family Handout
Layton Carr, 14, died after a fire broke out at a disused industrial estate in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead

Five more children have been arrested over the death of a 14-year-old boy following a fire at a disused industrial unit.

The body of Layton Carr was found after a blaze broke out in a building on Fairfield Industrial Park, in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead, on 2 May.

Northumbria Police said five boys, aged between 11 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, bringing the total number of children arrested to 21.

The force said it believed more people could have been there and the investigation continued.

Sixteen children, aged between 11 and 14, were previously arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. They have been released on bail.

In a tribute, Layton's family described him as a "cheeky, happy lad", with "an absolute heart of gold".

More than £20,000 has been raised to help his relatives.

View from above of abandoned industrial buildings and fire damage. Two buildings that have sustained fire damage are made from corrugated iron and have corrugated iron roofs. It looks like a former factory unit. The front of the buildings have been destroyed by fire. They are in front of a boarded up brick building. The area surrounding it is overgrown with bushes and trees and looks abandoned.
A group of people including Layton Carr visited the vacant industrial estate where the fire took hold, police have said

Det Ch Insp Mark Atherton said: "We do believe there were other people in the area on the evening and I'd urge those we have not yet spoken to, to please come forward and speak to us."

He said information that had been provided by residents formed a "crucial part" of the investigation.

Det Ch Insp Atherton asked for anyone who had screenshots of social media content and video footage to contact the force.

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