A teenage girl and a woman have died after fire ripped through their terraced house in Eastbourne.

More than 20 firefighters helped rescue them from the house in Beach Road, but resuscitation attempts failed and they died later in hospital.

A girl and a boy from the house managed to escape the inferno, which started at 5.28am on saturday morning. They were being treated in hospital for minor injuries. Their condition was said to be not life threatening.

An East Sussex Fire Brigade spokeswoman said: "When the crews arrived they found a very serious fire that was well developed.

"Two children escaped and the crews got one female adult and one girl under 18 out of the building. Resuscitation was attempted at the scene but they died at hospital.

"There were no smoke alarms in the property."

The spokeswoman said an investigation was under way into the fire involving both the brigade and Sussex Police scenes of crime officers.