A man is set to be extradited from Pakistan and charged with the murder of eight members of the same family who died in a house fire.

Shahid Mohammed, 36, will be formally charged with the murder of five children and three adults who died in 2002, West Yorkshire Police said.

The charges relate to a house fire which devastated the Chishti family in Birkby, Huddersfield.

Mohammed, formerly of Huddersfield, has been held in prison in Pakistan since being located and arrested in Rawalpindi on January 22 2015.

Detective Superintendent Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "This is a significant development in our investigation.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all agencies here in the UK and in Pakistan who have worked tirelessly and supported West Yorkshire Police to ensure that this process has run smoothly to extradite him."

DS Wallen paid tribute to the Chishti family, who had "lost eight members of their family during the fatal house fire and have shown such dignity since the tragedy occurred in 2002".

Mohammed is due to appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Thursday morning after being flown in from Islamabad International Airport, the force added.

The blaze, which started when petrol was poured through the letterbox of the property in Osbourne Road, killed five young sisters, their mother, uncle and grandmother.

The victims were Nafeesa Aziz, 35, and her daughters Tayyaba Bootall, three, Rabiah Bootall, 10, Ateeqa Nawaz, five, Aneesa Nawaz, two, and six-month-old Najeebah Nawaz.

Miss Aziz's brother, Mohammed Ateeq-ur-Rehman, 18, also died in the fire, and their mother, Zaib-un-Nisa, 54, died a week later in hospital.

In July 2003, Shaied Iqbal was jailed for life for eight counts of murder, while Shakiel Shazad Amir was given 18 years for manslaughter.

Nazar Hussain was also jailed for 18 years for manslaughter, but had since been released on parole.