Two boys found dead in hot car in British army base after 'allegedly being left to sleep'

Two young boys have tragically lost their lives after allegedly being left inside a car “to sleep” on a popular holiday island.

The boys, aged eight and ten, were discovered dead inside the vehicle, which had been left parked in a field close to a residential area in Cyprus.

The devastating incident occurred in the British base of Dhekelia, with police from the British bases attending the scene, according to the Cyprus Mail.

The local media outlet reports that the boys were allegedly left in the car to sleep. The children, of Bulgarian origin, suffered extreme muscle stiffness and burns caused by sun exposure, according to medical professionals.

Officers have since arrested the children’s father and stepmother on suspicion of negligence in connection with the deaths.

A British bases spokesperson confirmed that officers were conducting investigations at a property in Xylophagou in the Famagusta district to establish the cause of death.

While the precise cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed, local media reports that the children’s bodies displayed signs consistent with asphyxiation.

Forensic examinations are now being carried out to determine the exact cause of death.

The tragedy comes amid a period of soaring temperatures across Europe, with record-breaking heat recorded across the continent.

Four similar incidents have been reported across Europe within the past week during the ongoing heatwave. An 18-month-old baby has died in France after being left in a car by his parents.

He passed away at La Timone Hospital in Marseille on Tuesday, after firefighters discovered him in the vehicle in the car park of a university medical campus.

The infant was found unconscious and suffering from hyperthermia due to the sweltering heat inside the car.

In a separate incident in France, two children died after being left in a locked car by their mother.

The 33-year-old mother now faces manslaughter charges after her four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son were discovered dead in the back seat of the parked vehicle.