POLICE and fire brigade forensic experts are investigating a huge blaze at a house which had been home to a family of asylum seekers for four years.

The house, in De Burgh Hill, Dover, was destroyed. Neighbours on either side of the mid-terrace Victorian property had to be evacuated.

Arson has not been ruled out as the cause.

The family of father, mother, two boys and a girl, who had been living there had recently heard that their claim for asylum had been denied and were due to be deported to the former Czechoslovakia last Friday. But late Thursday night, according to neighbours, they emptied the house and have not been seen since.

It was soon after 5pm on Tuesday that neighbour Tony Petulla spotted the fire and raised the alarm. His wife Helen said: "They were a very polite family and we never ever had any trouble when they were living there."