A father has paid tribute to his three children who died in hospital after a blaze at their Renfrewshire home.

Fiona, Alexander James and Philip Gibson were taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after the flat fire at Renfrew Road in Paisley on Friday night.

The sibings – aged 12, eight and five – died a short time after being admitted.

Alex Gibson, their father, wrote on Facebook: “may u rest in peace little angels”.

He later added: “how I miss them already, now I know what it feels like when ur world comes crashing down”.

A JustGiving page was also posted on his Facebook, having been set up by a family friend, which states the children’s mother “is in icu in a critical condition”.

Police said a 39-year-old woman was taken to Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital after the fire, which emergency services responded to at about 9pm on Friday.

The fundraiser hit its £10,000 target within hours, having raised more than £14,000 by early on Sunday afternoon.

Flowers and cuddly toys were left at the scene on Saturday as the smell of smoke still lingered around the Gallowhill housing estate.

One passer-by said local people were left “shocked” by what happened, and simply added: “God bless those weans.”

Among the flowers left at the scene were some from Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, who wrote on a card: “We are all so sorry for your heartbreaking loss.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.”

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also called the children’s deaths “heartbreaking”.

She tweeted: “No words are enough. It’s just heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all who loved these poor children.

“Fiona, Alexander and Philip – may you rest in peace.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said six fire crews had been met with a “well developed” blaze in a first-floor property.

Plain clothes police officers carried out inquiries in the area while teams in white protective suits could be seen in and around the flat.

A police spokesman said: “An investigation is under way to establish the exact circumstances of this incident.

“Anyone who has information that could assist our enquiries should contact police via telephone number 101 quoting incident number 3669 of 19 June 2020.”