The mother of two young children found murdered at a hillside beauty spot said yesterday that her sons were “mummy’s boys” who were not even allowed to play outside on their own in case they came to any harm.

Giselle Ross, whose children, Paul, 6, and Jay, 2, were found dead in a parked car at the weekend, said: “Paul and Jay were beautiful boys who were well loved by all the family and everyone who knew them. They did not deserve to die.

“Both boys loved their mum — they were real mummy’s boys. They are irreplaceable and are greatly missed by all the family.”

The boys’ bodies were discovered in a blood-spattered car on Saturday in a quiet country road near the Campsie Fells, ten miles north of Glasgow. A man believed to be their father was also in the car.

He was pulled alive from the vehicle after apparently attempting to set it on fire and was still in a critical condition in hospital yesterday, where he was being treated for severe burns.

The man, who has not been identified by police, was named locally as Ashok Kalyanjee, and is said to be Indian by birth. He is separated from his wife and has only weekend access to his children. He was supposed to have returned the boys to their mother, who lives in the Royston area of Glasgow, by Saturday lunchtime.

Although detectives have yet to confirm how the children died, reports said that they were stabbed repeatedly before being put in the boot of the car. Mr Kalyanjee, a former taxi driver who lives with his elderly mother in a run-down apartment block in Cowcaddens, Glasgow, allegedly tried to take his own life by cutting his throat and then setting fire to the car while he was inside it.

Neighbours in the Royston area of Glasgow, where the two boys lived in a tower block with their mother, spoke of their shock yesterday. One said: “It’s just so sad. I live next door and my heart goes out to them.”

Ms Ross, who was recovering from the recent death of her own mother, is said to have become increasingly distraught after her estranged husband failed to return the children by Saturday lunchtime as agreed. Neighbours said that she had appealed to Mr Kalyanjee’s mother, Maya, to help to track them down.

One local shopkeeper said: “Maya came in with another woman who was looking for her children. She seemed frantic and was very panicked. She kept telling me she needed to find her sons and Ashok.”

Another said that Mr Kalyanjee’s mother had been walking the streets asking people if they had seen her son. “She was wailing and crying and begging for help. She couldn’t accept that her son could be involved.”

Elizabeth Davidson, head teacher at Royston Primary School, where six-year-old Paul was a pupil, said yesterday: “Paul was a lovely, well-behaved, quiet young boy. I’m certain that children who knew Paul and his brother will be devastated when they learn of this tragic news.”

She added: “The school has been made aware of the incident and shall be supporting the mother in any way it can. Our thoughts and prayers are with her at this sad time.”

According to unconfirmed reports, Mr Kalyanjee was a devout Christian who was trying to overcome drink and gambling problems.

He remained under police guard in Glasgow Royal Infirmary last night. It is not clear whether detectives have been able to speak to him.

Police continued to search the scene near Lennoxtown, East Dunbartonshire, where the bodies were found late on Saturday afternoon.

Strathclyde Police, which has begun a double murder investigation, said: “We are following a positive line of inquiry.”

The force is not believed to be seeking anybody else in connection with the deaths. Detectives have said only that the boys suffered violent deaths.

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