By Amanda Williams PUBLISHED: 12:09 EST, 12 February 2013 | UPDATED: 12:30 EST, 12 February 2013 The bodies of an elderly mother and daughter have been discovered close to a fire in the home they shared. It is feared frail widow Irene Sawyer, 94, and only daughter Kathleen, 64 - who were both pronounced dead at the scene - could have died after breathing in fumes as they struggled to stay warm. The pair were discovered by police after neighbours noticed bottles of milk building up on the doorstep and raised the alarm. Police said they are currently treating the deaths as unexplained, and forensic experts are now combing the house in Kings Heath, Birmingham.
@highlight
Widow Irene Sawyer and only daughter Kathleen were both pronounced dead at home in Kings Heath, Birmingham
@highlight
Neighbours say the pair had taken to sleeping downstairs in front of the gas fire - reportedly the only source of heating in the house - to keep warm
@highlight
Alarm was raised when milk bottles were noticed piling up outside the home
@highlight
Family say the pair were due to have their gas fire inspected within weeks
She said: 'They kept themselves to themselves mostly, @placeholder had been very ill so she mostly stayed in the house.