North Yorkshire police probe two double murders

Police said today they are keeping "an open mind" about whether two double murders, which happened within 25 miles of each other, are linked.

North Yorkshire Police said two young women died in a "vicious assault" in a flat in the village of Camblesforth, near Selby.

Assistant Chief Constable Roger Baker told a press conference in York he was "keeping an open mind" on whether there were links with the murder of two pensioners near Strensall, north of York, yesterday.

He warned the public to beware of 34-year-old Mark Richard Hobson, who is wanted for questioning in relation to the Camblesforth deaths.

Detective Superintendent Javad Ali did not name the victims but said: "Post-mortem examinations will be carried out later today and the cause of death is yet to be established but it is apparent that both women had been victims of a vicious assault.

"We are treating this as a murder investigation."

He added: "We would like to speak to a man in connection with these deaths.

"He is Mark Richard Hobson, who is 34 years old and who lived at the address in Camblesforth where the bodies were found.

"His present whereabouts are not known and police inquiries have so far failed to locate him.

"We are appealing for him to contact the police as a matter of urgency."

The detective added: "We believe that Hobson may pose a risk to members of the public and we strongly advise people not to approach him. If you believe you have seen him, please contact the police immediately."

Mr Ali said Hobson is described as a white man, 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build, with a shaven balding head and a 2-inch scar about his left eye.

Mr Baker added: "We've been asked if we are linking the incidents at Camblesforth and at Strensall.

"All I can say now is that we have open minds on this and we will continue to review the possibility regularly."

Turning to the Camblesforth deaths, Mr Baker said: "I want to reassure the public that this commitment of resources is a measure of our determination to bring the person or persons responsible for these deaths to justice as quickly and as safely as possible.

"Every North Yorkshire police officer is looking for this person and I give the public my guarantee that we will spare no effort to ensure their safety."

The press conference heard police were called to an address in Millfield Drive, Camblesforth, at 8.09am yesterday.

Mr Ali said: "On attending the scene, officers discovered the bodies of two women in an upstairs bedroom, who have yet to be formally identified but we believe them to be sisters aged in their 20s."

Neither of the officers would take any questions.

A neighbour living next to the flat in Camblesforth where the two sisters were found described how screaming was heard during the night they died.

The man said his wife heard the screams in the early hours of Sunday morning but thought nothing of them because of the frequent rows they overheard.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were really shocked. My wife said she heard screaming in the night but didn't think anything of it.

"There was always a lot of arguing going on round there."

He said Mr Hobson lived in the flat with his girlfriend.

Home Office pathologists carried out post-mortem examinations last night in an effort to find out how the two women died. The causes of death have yet to be released.

The Strensall double murder inquiry was launched yesterday after the popular couple in their eighties, described as "ill and quite frail", were discovered in their home.

The couple living at the £400,000 house are registered as James and Joan Britton.

Neighbour Raymond Jackson said he believed the couple had been stabbed.

He said: "It's just so much of a shock for everyone round here.

"I've known them both since they moved in more than 20 years ago and they were just a wonderful couple.

"They were both ill and quite frail and in their eighties but they would both still help anybody if they could.

"They were virtually housebound and people had to come in and help them. It's just so terrible."

Mr Jackson said Mr Britton was once the chairman of the local neighbourhood watch group but he did not know what he did before he retired.

In Camblesforth, officers were carrying out door-to-door inquiries as they attempted to piece together the events of the weekend.

One middle-aged woman, who did not give her name, said: "It is strange round here. There have been so many freak deaths and accidents over these last few years. It's like we're cursed or something."