A surviving relative of four people killed in an arson attack has complained to Ofcom about a Coronation Street storyline.
In December 2017 two Molotov Cocktails were launched through the windows of Michelle Pearson's home in Manchester, causing a fire which killed her children Lia, three, Lacie, seven, Brandon, eight, and Demi, 15.
Michelle died in August last year after battling through a coma and burns that covered 75% of her body, Manchester Evening News reported.
Now an episode of Coronation Street has caused renewed misery for the family.
In dramatic scenes shown last week Gemma and Chesney's home is pictured being set alight with the mum and her four children inside.
A burning rag is pushed through the letterbox, prompting viewers to draw comparisons with the real-life 2017 tragedy which took place in the same city.
Barbara Keeley - MP for Worsley and Eccles South - condemned the scenes on behalf of the family.
“These media companies like ITV need to consider the impact that a storyline may have to those close to a real life situation," she said.
“Especially given how close the studio where they film the soap is to where it happened in Walkden. They should have thought it through.
“The level of people reacting to it brings it all back for the family. It’s difficult - on one hand it is good that people are supporting them but it’s all too raw. Michelle only died a few months ago after all.”
When asked by the M.E.N about the scenes last week, a spokesperson for Coronation Street said the soap had "never shied away from tackling difficult issues".
Ms Keeley added “What makes it worse is the studio where the show is filmed is just seven miles away from where the tragedy happened.
"It’s not like it was the other side of the country. It’s too close to home and they should have realised.
“They should have taken more care. They should have contacted the Pearson family before. There was no warning that there was going to be distressing scenes - nothing.
“We understand that they don’t shy away from tough issues but they should have thought through and realised it’s too close to a real life tragedy. The reaction from viewers shows just how insensitive it was to air such scenes.”
Ms Keeley has been in contact with Michelle's sister Claire, who lodged a complaint with ITV.
The MP plans to do the same.
A spokesperson for ITV said: “Coronation Street has never shied away from tackling difficult issues and the vigilante attack highlights the dangers of individuals taking the law into their own hands rather than leaving such matters to the proper authorities.”
Zak Bolland, 24, and David Worrall, 26, were both convicted of four counts of murder and jailed for life, with minimum terms of 40 and 37 years, respectively.
They were also convicted of the attempted murder of Michelle, her son Kyle, then 17, and his friend, Bobby Harris, who both escaped through an upstairs window.
Michelle and her daughter Lia, who were sleeping in the same bedroom, were rescued from the burning home, after the incident just two weeks before Christmas.
