A FASHION designer and her two children died in a Boxing Day house fire despite the efforts of her police officer husband to save his family.

Fionnghuala Shearman, known as Nu, died alongside her children, Eve, aged seven, and four-year-old son Ohner.

Her husband, Tom, attempted to rescue his wife and two children but was beaten back by the severity of the fire and was taken to hospital for treatment, police said today.

Emergency services were called to a mid-terrace Cotswold stone cottage on Brimscombe Hill, near Stroud, Gloucestershire, at about 3am.

Gloucestershire Police said the father, who survived the blaze, was a serving officer with the force.

Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher told reporters outside Gloucestershire Police HQ said the mother and father had been awoken by the fire and had attempted to reach their children in the rear bedroom.

“They have been unable to get to the back bedroom due to the voracity of the fire,” he said.