A CANDLELIT vigil - held in memory of two brothers on the tenth anniversary of their deaths - saw scores of people turn out to pay their respects.

Claire Throssell held the event at Barnsley Town Hall on Tuesday to remember her sons Jack, 12, and Paul, nine, who died in a fire on Tennyson Close, Penistone, which was deliberately set by her estranged husband.

Attendees were encouraged to write a message for the boys on a love heart and given a candle to hold during the two-minute silence before they sang ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’.

Claire’s ‘Child First’ campaign, which aims to remove the presumption of contact from family law, has surpassed 100,000 signatures and is set to be debated in Parliament.

Members of IDAS - a domestic abuse charity - also joined the vigil in honour of their #ShineALight campaign, which hopes to recognise and support survivors of domestic violence.

Claire said: “I’m so proud and pleased that people came.

“The fact that people came over from Penistone and Jack and Paul’s friends came is a testament to them.

“There’s always that hole, that gaping chasm and there will always be that feeling that they should be here.

“Jack was sensitive, quiet and kind.

“Paul was cheeky and full of life.

“The fact that they’re remembered ten years later is a fantastic legacy for them.

“Their lives were taken because a court said they could be - their futures were taken away, and nobody should forget that.”

Claire is now looking forward to submitting her campaign to Parliament and demanding change from the system that failed her sons.

She added: “I’m doing it because successive governments have continued to fail children and are still failing children.

“Children are still dying at the hands of domestic abusers and that has to stop.

“For years, they tried to flick me off like a crumb off a tablecloth.

“For years, my voice wasn’t heard, and now they have no choice but to listen to it.

“Not just my voice, but 120,000 voices saying that this needs to stop and things need to change.”

Claire stressed the importance of advocating for children and listening to their voices throughout her tireless campaigning journey.

“Children don’t lie - children have wishes and feelings and if they’re frightened of somebody, they’re frightened of somebody.

“They deserve to have a voice.

“It’s not for a judge to presume they know what’s best for that child.

“There’s far more work to do to keep women and children safe, and we’ll continue to do that until family courts are fit for purpose.”

Carmel Offord, from IDAS, praised Claire’s campaign.

“It’s so important that we have someone like Claire who is so determined and passionate.

“It means people can’t turn their heads away from Jack and Paul.

“She will keep their memories alive by continuing to campaign.

“It means people will sit up and listen.”