Man hunted for four murders

Diane had been visiting her sister on the night of their murder

Police are searching for a man in connection with two double murders in North Yorkshire.

Mark Hobson, 34, was already being hunted after the killing of 27-year-old twin sisters Claire and Diane Sanderson at a flat in Camblesforth on Sunday.

Hours later 80-year-old James Britton and his wife Joan, 82, were found dead 25 miles away in their York home.

Officers have been told a man matching Mr Hobson's description was seen near the Brittons' home in Strensall.

Post-mortem examinations have revealed Diane Sanderson was strangled and had a number of other injuries to her body and her sister suffered a "violent assault".

Mr Britton died from stab wounds and his wife had been the subject of a "vicious assault including stab wounds".

We have not established any previous association between the Brittons and the Sandersons Det Supt Javad Ali

Initial examinations failed to give the exact causes of Claire Sanderson's or Mrs Britton's death.

North Yorkshire Police said on Tuesday the four deaths could be linked.

Police were called to the flat near Selby, where Mr Hobson lived, shortly after 0800 BST on Sunday and found the twins' bodies.

At 1126 BST, Mr and Mrs Britton's bodies were discovered by a neighbour.

Det Supt Javad Ali said: "They were a frail and harmless couple who had lived there for many years.

"We have not established any previous association between the Brittons and the Sandersons.

Mark Hobson is wanted in connection with the murders

"As a result of our inquiries, we now have a confirmed sighting of Mark Hobson in the Wiggington area of York at about 0200 BST on Sunday.

"We have now established a possible sighting of a man whose description is similar to that of Mark Hobson in the Strensall area at 0915 BST that Sunday morning.

"This, together with other evidence recovered from both scenes, indicates that the two incidents may well be linked."

He renewed his appeal for anyone with information about Hobson's whereabouts to contact them urgently but warned the public not the approach him.

North Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable Roger Baker said about 100 of his officers were working on the case and Mr Hobson's description was now being distributed to all UK forces.

The Brittons, who were housebound, had been married for 58 years and had two daughters, Anne, 54, and Catherine, 49.

Parents' anguish

Mr Britton was a former neighbourhood watch chairman and is thought to have been a British Rail worker before his retirement.

Police said Mr Hobson, a dustman, was dating Claire Sanderson and had been living in the flat in Camblesforth for three months.

On the night of their murder Diane had been visiting her sister.

The twins' parents, George and Jacqueline Sanderson, issued a brief statement appealing for help from the public.

It said: "Words cannot express how we feel about the sudden and unexplained deaths of our two beautiful daughters, Claire and Diane.

"We would urge anyone who has any information which could assist the police in their investigation to contact them.

"We now want to be given some privacy to spend time with our close family during these difficult and trying times."