An MP is pressing for a change in the law to prevent tragic deaths caused by house fires.

Celia Barlow, MP for Hove, wants sprinklers installed in all new homes, high-rise buildings, schools and shared properties.

She made the plea in response to a number of deaths in Sussex, including a fire that killed two brothers in 2003.

Alex and Philip Kent died after a huge blaze ripped through their parents' home in Crowborough.

Alex, 25, an off-duty fireman from the village, was trying to rescue his businessman brother, 23, from an upstairs room when the pair were overcome by smoke and flames.

Ms Barlow said: "The family in Crowborough relied on the old saying that there is nothing as safe as houses.

"I want to call for people to be safe in their houses as well - safe from a terrible fire death.

"At the very least, it is high time to fit fire sprinkler systems in all newly-built care homes for the elderly, for children and for the disabled.

"This must also apply to all care homes that are being refurbished. We must ensure sprinklers are installed in all new high-rise buildings.

"I am not saying sprinklers will guarantee tragedies such as Crowborough never happen again.

"However, there is now a growing body of research and practical examples that show that they would make a decisive contribution to the safety of our people."

The call for sprinklers is backed by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Philip and Alex's parents Richard and Janet Kent.

Mr and Mrs Kent still live in the property in Fermor Way, Crowborough, where their sons were killed.

Ms Barlow was joined in Westminster Hall, where she made the plea, by Adrian Brown, the senior fire safety officer at East Sussex County Council.

Mr Brown said: "We hope very much that this will lead to new regulations to enforce the installation of sprinklers.

"For many years we have promoted installing smoke detectors as these are vital in raising the alarm when a fire occurs, but sprinklers save lives in their own right.

"There are many new building developments in Sussex at present and we believe that any of these with residential buildings should be installing sprinkler systems and helping us to save lives."

Of particular concern to the fire and rescue service is the vulnerability of people living in high-rise flats to fire.

According to official figures, there are about 14,000 people living in high-rise buildings in Brighton and Hove.

Ms Barlow pointed to the proposed high-rise development at the King Alfred as one reason why the law should be changed.

Under current laws, only buildings above 11 storeys high are required to have sprinklers.

But Ms Barlow argues that at the proposed Frank Gehry-designed high-rise flats at the King Alfred, only the car park and not the flats would be protected by the sprinklers.

Ms Barlow said: "I argue that 11 storeys is too high a threshold for the installation of sprinklers.

"There was a terrible blaze in my constituency in 1992.

"Five people died in Palmeira Avenue in Hove when a fire broke out during a party in a third-floor flat.

"The escape routes were blocked and the only way to survive was to jump from the roof and the windows.

"At least 12 occupants jumped or fell from the building to escape the flames.

"Three of them were later confirmed dead and a further two bodies were discovered inside.

"In addition, two people were seriously injured.

"That dreadful event illustrates my point that it can be lethal to jump from the third floor."