A TRAGIC schoolboy who died in a house fire with his mum and sister should have been performing in his nativity play today.

Five-year-old Harvey Collison had been "so excited" about his role and eager to dress up as a camel and take to the stage, fellow pupils said.

His primary school had considered cancelling the production in wake of the devastating tragedy but decided “the show must go on.”

Little Harvey’s parents had been due to watch him and his classmates perform.

The popular youngster died in hospital on Sunday a day after a mystery blaze ripped through their home in Collingham, near Newark, Notts.

His mum Justine, 33, and eight-year-old sister Isabella, nicknamed Izzy, died at the scene.

His RAF engineer dad Gavin, 34, was pulled out alive from Saturday morning’s inferno but is seriously ill in hospital.

The boy's gran Diane Fletcher, 53, who lived at the family’s comfortable four bed house, escaped unscathed, but the family’s beloved golden retriever dog perished.

It comes as horrified locals claimed a dried out Christmas tree and old fairy lights could have sparked the deadly blaze.

One neighbour who declined to be named said: “We’ve heard from emergency services that the seat of the fire may have been from the tree which could have dried out and become inflammable with lights left on.”

As Notts Police continue their investigation to establish how the fire started, tearful parents and pupils left flowers and tributes on a grass verge outside the large cordoned off property.

Victoria Whittaker, whose nine-year-old daughter Ruby was a pal of Izzy’s said: “It is so desperately sad. She was a beautiful mother with two beautiful children and our hearts go out to the two family members who survived this terrible tragedy.”

The young victims were pupils at John Blow School in the village which is receiving grief counselling from Notts County Council experts.

Victoria’s daughter, speaking to The Sun Online, told how their head teacher Helen Richardson had been “crying and hugging other parents and teachers.”

Ruby said: “We were told what had happened. I was a friend of Izzy and I feel very sad. Harvey was meant to be in the reception class nativity play this afternoon. He was a camel and was really excited.”

Her mum added: “They were going to call the play off but decided it should go ahead, and it was important for the other children to carry on.

"We just hope the family were sleeping and didn’t suffer."

The school earlier posted a message on its website from the head teacher stating: “It is with deep sadness that I can confirm that the children involved in Saturday’s fire attended our school. Our thoughts are with the family at this tragic time.

"We are receiving specialist support form the County Council and will do everything we can to support our children over the coming weeks.

“We are part of a small, close-knit community and we will do all we can to work together during the grieving process.”

A former colleague of Justine, a teaching assistant at a special needs school, paid tribute to her as “a happy and beautiful woman who lived for her family.”

Nicky Lilley, 46, who has a daughter and granddaughter, aged four, laid flowers in her friend’s memory, saying: “There was not a bad thing about her, why do such horrible things happen to people so kind and good."

Messages of condolences were left in a tribute book at the local church with one saying: “Families in Collingham have cried a river.”

Witnesses told how 25ft flames roared from the conservatory at the £350,000 home, where the family had been living for around 18 months.

Neighbour Paul Norton, 57, said he and his son, another neighbour and a van driver who stopped to help tried in vain to rouse the family.

He said: “I woke early and looked out a window. There was a huge amount of light. It was as if the sun was shining right through but this was very early.

“I could see the conservatory was on fire. The flames were huge and there was a lot of smoke.

"We knew there were people inside because the cars were on the drive.

"We banged on the door and yelled through the letterbox trying to rouse someone.

“We were shouting ‘Get out, get out’. We got nothing back. There was just silence. We had no idea what was going on inside the house.

“We tried to kick in the front door but it was too heavy.

“We went round the back to see if we could get in but it was locked.

“We were doing all we could. It was desperate. When the fire brigade arrived the gran was taken out of the house by the firefighters.

"She seemed very dazed. But I didn’t see anybody else come out.”

A police spokesman said: “The fire investigation has not yet reached a conclusion, however all possibilities will be considered.”

All Saints Church, less than a mile away from the scene of the fire, will open during the day from now until Christmas Day for people to remember the family.