A FAMILY spoke today of their love for a mother and daughter tragically killed in a York house fire.

Andrea Robinson, 36, also known as Andi and Rubi, and her youngest child, Sky Sunshine, two, died in the blaze at their council house in Kingsway West, Acomb, early on Saturday.

Sarah Robinson, of Brighton, who is married to Andrea's brother, Rupert, 31, said the extended family was still in shock over the deaths.

"We want to let people know how much Andi and Sky will be missed by our family. We all really loved them both and were proud of them.

"Her children were her everything and her friends were her life. She had such a lot of friends."

Andrea's other children, Dael, 14, and Ash, 12, who live with their fathers, and Poppy Jay, ten, who was on holiday with her father at the time of the fire, are struggling to come to terms with the tragedy, said their aunt.

Sky's father, Nicky Thornton, today said he wanted everyone to know how much he loved both Andrea and their daughter, who would have celebrated her third birthday this coming Sunday.

Tributes to the pair are slowly appearing outside their house in Acomb, and also at the White Swan Hotel, in Piccadilly, where they lived for a time as part of York's so-called "peace squat".

Sarah said: "The love and support we have been shown by the peace collective means a lot to us."

Two men who escaped from the inferno remain in hospital. Lee Keenleyside, 37, is said to be in a "stable" condition at York Hospital where he is being treated for a severed artery.

Steve Panter, 48, suffered serious burns and is described as "still poorly, but comfortable" at Pinderfields Hospital, in Wakefield.

"The thoughts of the whole family are with Lee and Steve," said Sarah. "They are going to have to live with the scars for a long time."

Andrea and Sky's funeral will provisionally take place at York Crematorium on August 13 at 3pm, followed by a gathering at the Environmental Centre, in St Nicholas Fields, York.

Updated: 11:10 Wednesday, August 06, 2003