Ten years after six members of the same family died in a Harlow house fire a fresh appeal for information has been launched by police.

Shortly before 2am of Monday, October 15, 2012, Essex Police were called to a large fire at a home in Barn Mead, Harlow.

Dr Abdul Shakoor lost his wife, Dr Sabah Usmani and their children – daughters Hira, 12 and Maheen, 3 and their sons Sohaib, 11 Muneeb, 9 and Rayyan, 6.

Read More

It was quickly established that the fire had been started deliberately.

Detective chief inspector Louise Metcalfe from Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “No one has ever been held responsible for this tragedy.

"Our goal is still the same now as it was ten years ago and that is to get justice for Dr Shakoor and his family.”

In addition to the fire at the address, a Ford Focus car, which was not connected to Dr Shakoor’s family was located on fire nearby.

A murder investigation was launched by Essex Police, turning into one of its largest enquiries under the name Operation Shakespeare.

Seven people were arrested following initial enquiries but later released without further action.

Detectives are continuing to follow particular lines of enquiry.

These include identifying a white man, in his late teens/early 20s on a bicycle in the area when the house and car were set alight.

In November 2012, a person rang Harlow Police Station from a phone box and left a message, providing information about the fire.

Later that month, a piece of paper about the investigation was left on a shelf at the Boots in Harlow.

Police would like to speak to the person who left the messages.

One hypothesis of this tragedy is that it was initially a burglary.

This was due to the fact that a black Toshiba Satellite laptop was stolen from the house and has never been located.

The unique laptop was fitted with a two-pin lead, having been bought in Saudi Arabia.

The laptop bag and lead were later recovered close to the scene, between Whitewaits and St Michaels Close with the lead being attached to a shaver plug, not belonging to the family.

If you have any information, you can call 101.