Murder inquiry after hotel deaths

Murder inquiry after hotel deaths

The family had been in Blackpool for only a few months

Police have begun a murder inquiry after a woman and two children were found stabbed to death at a seaside hotel.

The bodies of an eight-year-old boy, an 11-year-old boy and a 36-year-old woman were discovered at the bed and breakfast in Hull Road, Blackpool, Lancashire.

A man, thought to be the children's father, has been arrested and was being treated at the town's Victoria Hospital for serious injuries on Thursday.

A 13-year-old girl, who is also believed to be part of the South African family, was found uninjured at the hotel.

Police were called to the Winslow Hotel at about 0730 GMT on Thursday and a team of 30 officers are now working on the case.

Knife recovered

Officers were waiting to question the man about the "ferocious" attack.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Police said the woman and the two boys who died all suffered fatal stab wounds. A knife was later recovered from the scene.

Detective Superintendent Ian Jones said: "The fact that three people died in what appears to be one incident makes it a fairly ferocious attack."

Neighbours told police the family were seen alive on Wednesday.

Well known

It is understood the woman was the children's mother and police believe the arrested man was their father.

They also believe the family owned the guest house.

A police spokeswoman said the 13-year-old girl was with the person who raised the alarm, in another part of the hotel, when the attack happened.

The body of the 11-year-old boy was found in a ground floor bedroom, and detectives discovered the younger boy's and the woman's bodies in the hotel basement.

Despite the fact the family had only been in Blackpool for a few months, neighbours said they were well-known in the area and outgoing.