Brother and sister were strangled

Sister and brother Yolanda and Theo Molemohi died in hospital

Two children who died after being found unconscious in a flat in Manchester were strangled, tests have revealed.

Theo Molemohi, aged two, and his four-year-old sister Yolanda Molemohi were found by their mother at the flat in Whalley Range on Wednesday.

The pair were taken to hospital where they died later.

Their father was arrested, but is in hospital after collapsing in police custody. He was separated from the children's mother.

Det Supt Geoff Wessell, of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), said the children had spent the weekend with their father.

'Horrendous incident'

The children's mother found Yolanda and Theo in a bedroom with their father when she went into the flat at Lansbury House in Whalley Road on Wednesday morning, police said.

Det Supt Wessell said: "This is a quite horrendous incident for the family and for the officers who attended.

"What I can say is that no other person is being sought in connection with this incident at this time."

Forensic examinations of the flat in Whalley Range are being carried out

The detective said the couple, who moved to the UK from either South Africa or Zimbabwe in 2003, had some previous contact with agencies in the city.

Cas Page, headteacher at Our Lady's RC Primary School, said four-year-old Yolanda was a "lovely, happy, bubbly little girl with such a wonderful smile who was loved by everyone in school".

Neighbours spoke of their shock and described the children as "happy and well cared-for".

Sophie Partington, 34, a resident of Lansbury House, said: "They were just a normal happy family, the kids were always playing out on the grass outside.

"I'm shocked, I just can't believe it. I can't understand what's happened. The kids were lovely, cute little kids. He was finding his feet and she was starting school.

"She was a lovely little girl with a brand new school uniform, she looked really smart, and I thought 'They must be really proud'."