AN investigation is under way today into the death of a toddler in a fire which swept through a flat at the weekend.

Desperate neighbours were beaten back by heavy smoke and flames as they made repeated attempts to reach 21-month-old Louis Bowers. Louis was overcome by smoke in his bedroom.

Today Louis's distraught mum Lisa, who has two other children, is being comforted by relatives and friends. The tragedy happened in Kingsclere Close, in the Weston area of Southampton.

Fire broke out in the first floor bedroom of a maisonette above a parade of shops at about 8am yesterday. Police say Lisa and her two other children, an eight-year-old girl and five-year-old boy - as well as two other youngsters - managed to escape and raise the alarm but Louis was trapped. Lisa's mum's boyfriend known as Gary who's believed to live next door tried to get back into the flat.

But he was beaten back by the intense heat and smoke as he tried to save Louis.

The flat is understood to have been fitted with a working smoke alarm.

Neighbour Reg Noice, 42, also rushed next door in an attempt to rescue Louis.

He tried to get into the bedroom four times to reach the youngster before he too, was forced back by the intense heat and smoke.

Production worker Mr Noice, a friend of the family, said: "The smoke was just black. There was a door to get into the bedroom. There were flames and black smoke. I could feel the heat from the bedroom. As soon as I got to the landing I saw the smoke."

Mr Noyce described how Lisa had been outside the flat screaming Louis' name.

He said: "She just was absolutely devastated. She was screaming 'try and save my baby'."

"We have comforted her. We said to her it would be all right, but it was not."

He said how Gary had attempted to get in the bedroom several times before being forced out by the heat. Mr Noice said: "He kept going in and out. He was just trying desperately. Lisa was saying again and again, "I have lost my baby."

Firefighters from Hightown and St Mary's fire stations arrived on the scene moments after the alarm was raised.

They battled their way into the flat, found Louis in a cot in a bedroom and brought him outside to revive him.

He was taken to Southampton General Hospital by paramedics but was pronounced dead on arrival.

A second child, believed to be Lisa's other son, was also taken to hospital where he was treated for minor burns.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Superintendent Gary Linton, said: "This is a tragic incident in which a young child has died. Our sympathies go out to the family at this time."

An investigation team of 12 police officers including specialists in interviewing children, forensic scientists and a family liaison officer will be conducting the investigation.

DS Linton added: "Officers have been conducting house-to-house inquiries this morning. We have spoken to most of the neighbours but, if anyone feels that they have information relevant to our inquiry we are keen to hear from them."

Neighbours spoke of their shock when they were told of the tragedy.

Florence Whitehouse, 80, of Kingsclere Avenue, fought back tears as she said how she had heard screaming from the flats opposite.

She said: "I was nearly ready to get out of bed. It sounded just like children at first. It was a terrible screaming."

Kelly Healey, a supervisor with the Forbouys store said how she smelt smoke coming through the door of the ground floor shop which is just below the fire in the parade of flats.

She said: "I thought it was someone having a bonfire. Then a customer came in and said there was a fire. The smoke was coming in the shop so we had to close it. There were flames coming out of the window of the flat as well."

Anyone with information should contact Bitterne CID on 0845 045 45 45 or call the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.