A man charged with murdering eight people who died following a house fire 17 years ago is due to stand trial.

Shahid Mohammed is accused of killing five children and three adults - all of whom were relatives.

They perished following the blaze at the property in Birkby, Huddersfield, in 2002.

Those who died 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.

The fire on the Osborne Road home started in the early hours of May 12 2002, police have previously said.

Mohammed, 36, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of murder and a single count of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, and his trial at Leeds Crown Court is due to begin on Monday morning.