Three men have been charged with manslaughter and arson with intent to endanger life following an explosion at a convenience store in Leicester which killed five people.

The blast, on the evening of 25 February, was caused by petrol which was spread throughout the shop, Leicester Magistrates Court heard on Monday.

The former Londis store had recently been re-opened as a Polish supermarket. Store owner Aram Kurd is one of the men who has been charged and appeared in Court on Monday.

Three other men have also been arrested and released under investigation.

Five people were killed by the enormous blast and subsequent fire which tore through the two-storey flat above the store.

Shop worker Viktorija Ijevleva died in the blast, along with brothers Shane and Sean Ragoobeer who lived in the flat above the mini supermarket with their mother Mary and Shane’s girlfriend Leah Beth Reek.

Detectives investigating the blast are still appealing to the public for help. Detective Inspector Michelle Keen said: “Our enquiries have established that there were a number of people in the area of the supermarket in the hour leading up to, and in the minutes after, the explosion.

“I want to hear from anyone who was near the supermarket at the time and who, thinking back, remembers seeing something that they thought may have been suspicious. It’s vital that we speak to anyone who may have information about any people they saw coming and going into the supermarket in Hinckley Road in the hours leading up to the explosion.”

Anyone with information is being urged to call 101 quoting incident number 443.