A MOTHER whose two sons were killed by their abusive dad in a house fire which shocked the country is set to release a book about her harrowing story and quest to change the law.

Inspirational Claire Throssell, from Penistone, has teamed up with Millhouse Green author Michelle Rawlins for the book, called For My Boys.

It tells Claire’s heartbreaking story and her subsequent tale of determination to seek justice for her sons - 12-year-old Jack and nine-year-old Paul - and give a voice to all children who are at risk at the hands of an abusive parent.

After she found the strength to leave her husband of 16 years, Darren, his ‘campaign of brutality’ didn’t end but the courts ignored her - and their sons’ wishes - and gave him unsupervised access despite Claire’s concerns of him harming them.

The brothers were lured to the attic of their father’s home, on Tennyson Close, Penistone, with the promise of a new train set on October 22, 2014.

On the day of the fire, Sykes spent £600 on model railway equipment and sent texts to his sons telling them what he had bought, saying he needed ‘two engine drivers’.

He then barricaded the children inside and started the blaze which claimed their lives and his own.

When emergency services arrived, police found a chair had been placed under the handle of a door to prevent anyone from escaping, while other entrances had been blocked to stop anyone getting out.

“This book tells of how one mum rose from the ashes of domestic abuse to fight for generations of children after my sons’ lives were deliberately taken,” Claire said.

“It is about a fight to challenge not one but four successive governments to ensure that Jack and Paul’s murders were not in vain.

“Children are never ‘Child A’ and ‘Child Bs’ - they should not remain anonymous on a desk in Whitehall.

“I battle to ensure that no more families are ripped apart leaving parents torn and broken like me.

“For far too long children’s voices have been lost in the family courts and for far too long survivors of domestic abuse and their children are made to feel invisible.

“But love can give you strength that you never know you have, and the love you have for your children is the greatest love of all.

“I had to make their deaths count for something - they didn’t die in vain - and I take strength from the love they left behind.

“What I want to see is no more politicians paying tribute to my campaigning.

“Pay tribute to me by making sure that the system is fair and it’s not the barbaric - and humiliating - process that I went through in family court.”

Sykes had a known history of domestic abuse, including making statements that he was capable of killing.

Despite this, he was granted five hours’ unsupervised contact per week with the boys.

Since the tragedy, Claire’s been tirelessly campaigning to end the presumption of contact rule, which is making its way through the system after she handed in a 105,000-strong petition to Downing Street.

Michelle, who has ghost-written the book - which will be released on October 9 - paid tribute to her friend.

“I first made contact with Claire through the Chronicle about a decade ago and to this day I am still honoured to call her a friend,” Michelle said.

“Since 2016 Claire has been an ambassador for Women’s Aid, as well as going on to become an ambassador for IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Service), determined to ensure the voices of children never go unheard again.

“She has played a fundamental role in the implementation of the Domestic Abuse Bill, as well as ensuring survivors can no longer be cross-examined by their perpetrators in court.

“Claire also played a significant role in pushing for all judges to be trained on the subject of domestic abuse, and has spearheaded the Child First campaign, lobbying Parliament to abolish the ‘presumption of contact’ guidelines in child custody cases.

“Her battle with government and court bureaucracy will anger and shock, but Claire’s humbling and remarkable story of strength will inspire.

“No parent should ever have to endure the pain Claire has suffered - her determination to prevent anyone else enduring the same agony she has suffered is humbling.

“I was privileged to have played a role in telling my friend’s story - she’s a remarkable person who inspires so many people.”