THE parents of a toddler who died after a drugs overdose were still being quizzed by police today -- as the girl's younger brother continued to fight for his life.

Natalia Mujahid, three, of Notre Dame Gardens, Blackburn, died just before midnight on Tuesday after the children were poisoned by what is believed to have been the heroin substitute methadone.

Police are now waiting for the results of a post mortem examination which was carried out yesterday afternoon. Her one-year-old brother Darnish was today still seriously ill at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.

The children are believed to have swallowed a drugs overdose in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Their 27-year-old father and 24-year-old mother were arrested and were still being questioned by police at Blackburn today. Officers were granted an extension to question the couple until 6pm.

Neighbour Dorothy Holt, a former work colleague of the child's mother Shadar Mujahid, said local residents were horrified by the news of Natalia's death.

She said: "She was a lovely, cheeky little girl. Her mum and dad lavished love on her. She was very intelligent and quick to learn -- she loved to teach her little brother.

"She used to come and sit on my sofa and swing her legs. You couldn't help loving her."

Ms Holt said the children's father Asad worked as an embroiderer for a textile firm.