An independent team of forensic experts have begun fresh tests on a house where a mother and her two young children were killed in an arson attack five years ago.

The study will be used by South Wales Police to review the murders of Dianne Jones and her daughters Shauna, two, and 13-month-old Sarah Jane.

Following the completion of the tests, the house on the Gurnos estate in Merthyr Tydfil will be demolished.

Merthyr council had planned to knock down the house this week as part of a regeneration programme.

But work was halted after a last minute appeal from detectives.

Dianne Jones, 21, and her daughters Shauna, two, and 13-month-old Sarah Jane died in the blaze in October 1995.

Two of the women originally jailed for the arson attack - but later freed on appeal - also threatened to chain themselves to the building to stop the bulldozers.

Annette Hewins and Donna Clark claim the house could contain vital evidence which could help to solve the murder.

They met senior police officers on Friday morning who are part of a team reviewing 16 unsolved murders across Wales.

The forensic results will be included in the review process.

The council has already started knocking down 130 run-down properties on the Gurnos estate.