It was ‘just a normal Saturday’

BLAZE SURVIVOR Angela Sharkey wept as she told the murder trial about the night her family died.

The day leading up to the tragedy was “just a normal Saturday”, she said.

Her son Thomas Sharkey Jr, a keen golfer who intended to pursue the sport as a career, competed at a local club on July 23 2011, while daughter Bridget was at a sleep-over for her classmate’s birthday.

The eight-year-old was not “good” at sleep-overs and her friend’s father contacted Mrs Sharkey at about 10pm to say she wanted to come home.

Thomas Sr was at the pub, and Thomas Jr, 21, collected his sister when he returned from his golf competition.

It was her son who put his sister to bed the night they both died, Mrs Sharkey told the jury.

The last thing she said she remembers was reading a book in bed. Bridget and Thomas Jr were “sound asleep” and Mr Sharkey was still at the pub.

Her next memory was of waking up in Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

That night emergency services were called to the family’s Scott Court home at around 5am.

The building had just one door and the family were trapped by the fire, police said.

Thomas Jr was found dead in the property and Bridget died on the way to Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Mrs Sharkey and her husband, who was seen hanging out of the window and shouting for help, managed to escape from the house, but both suffered serious bur ns.

Thomas Sr died of his injuries in Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary six days later.

He had been told about his children’s deaths.

Mrs Sharkey lay unconscious in hospital for almost two weeks before learning the fate of her family.

Picture: PA. Angela Sharkey wipes away a tear as she recounts the events of the day of the fire that claimed the lives of her husband and children.