Two more bodies found in Ipswich case

Published on Tuesday 12 December 2006 17:20

TWO more bodies were discovered this afternoon in Suffolk by police investigating a series of murdered local prostitutes.

Today's findings raises to five the number of women found killed in the Ipswich area of east England. Police believe the latest discoveries are part of the same investigation. Only yesterday had investigators expressed concerns over two missing prostitutes in the area.

Det Chief Supt Stewart Gull told reporters late this afternoon the "natural assumption" was that the bodies were those of missing prostitutes Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls.

Nicholls, 29 years old, was reported missing yesterday by her family but had not been seen since 4 December. Clennell, 24, was last seen on Sunday.

The bodies were found in the Nacton area close to where the unclothed body of Anneli Alderton, 24, was found on Sunday.

The serial murders began earlier in the month. Gemma Adams, 25, was found in a stream at nearby Hintlesham on 2 December, while the body of Tania Nicol, 19, was found in a pond at nearby Copdock on 8 December.

No other information was immediately available on the discovery of the two women today.

The first three bodies were found naked, however police said only one of the women had been sexually assaulted.

Det Gull said yesterday that more than 100 officers were involved in what was probably the biggest murder investigation seen in Suffolk. He said police are following several "interesting lines of inquiry".

Buy The Scotsman on Wednesday for full coverage of this developing story.