A coroner has issued a stark warning to parents at an inquest into the death of a five-week-old girl in a house blaze started by her four-year-old brother playing with a lighter.

Zara Ahmed died from smoke inhalation after her mother Zeenat Begum was unable to rescue her from the inferno at her home in Sandford Road, Barkerend, Bradford, in March.

Bradford Coroner's Court heard yesterday how Mrs Begum, 27, had accidentally left a lighter in a first-floor bedroom occupied by her young son Mujahid and Zara, who was asleep in a Moses basket.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Bradford Coroner Roger Whittaker said: "There is no malevolence in a little boy of four - it is one of those things that unfortunately happens - but it reinforces the sense that children should be separated entirely from the means of making fire.

"I'm sure her parents do not need reminding of that but it will do no harm for others who hear of this tragedy to reflect on how easy these things can happen and the speed with which a fire can take."

Mr Whittaker said Zara would have been overcome by smoke in the early stages of the fire and would not have suffered pain from the extensive burns.

Mujahid was also severely burned and is expected to be scarred for life.

After the inquest Zara's father Asfaq Ahmed, who works at a pizza takeaway, said his family had not lived at their home since the fire. He said: "We are now living with my parents and will not be moving back to that house.

"Mujahid is healing up but obviously he is going to be scarred for life."

The inquest heard how Mrs Begum needed to light the cooker to warm Mujahid's milk.

She returned to the bedroom with the milk and went back downstairs to collect a thermal flask of hot water for Zara's milk throughout the night, accidentally leaving the lighter in the bedroom.

It is believed Mujahid then set fire to clothes hanging on a door or bedding.

Detective Constable Alexander Grummitt interviewed Mrs Begum after the incident. He told the inquest: "She was only downstairs for a short time before she heard Mujahid screaming.

"She ran upstairs. By this stage the lights in the house had gone out and it was full of smoke.

"She felt her way up the stairs and lifted her son over the child-gate, quickly took him back down the stairs and placed him on the couch next to the cooker.

"She said that she tried desperately to get back upstairs to her daughter but due to the understandable heat and smoke she was unable to get back in.

"She ran back down the stairs and into the street where she was screaming for help."

Mr Whittaker said he believed the lighter was later found downstairs as it was in the hands of Mujahid as he was carried down by his mother.

After the hearing Keith Robinson, district manager for West Yorkshire Fire Service, backed Mr Whittaker's warning. He said: "This was a tragic event, but there is a lesson to be learned by parents who have got young children.

"Please do not leave naked lights such as matches and lighters where children can get hold of them.

"If a child picks up a lighter, he or she will play with it.

"Unfortunately a tragedy has occurred and we do send our condolences out to the family but there is a lesson in there."