British police in race to find serial killer

Detectives hunting the serial killer of three prostitutes now "fear the worst" as specialists continue to comb the bleak woodland where two more bodies have been found.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has pledged full support for officers working on the case, as the News of the Worldoffered an "historic" £250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer.

A Home Office pathologist is tonight examining the body of one of the two women, which detectives said had been removed from woods at Levington, Suffolk, to allow Dr Nat Cary to carry out post-mortem tests.

Suffolk police said the second body — found 150 metres away — would be moved tomorrow.

Officers said they were still unable to confirm that the dead women were missing prostitutes Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29.

The women were the fourth and fifth found dead near Ipswich in a 10-day period.

Fellow Ipswich prostitutes Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, and Anneli Alderton, 24, were found dead in nearby villages.

Their naked bodies were discovered close to the A14 dual carriageway which runs south of Ipswich and links the port of Felixstowe with the Midlands.

Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull said detectives are sure that none of the five women died where they were found.

"We have not found what appear to be murder scenes," he said.

"What we are dealing with appear to be deposition sites where the bodies have been dumped." He said police chiefs were "emotionally overwhelmed" after learning five prostitutes had been found dead.

He said there was "stunned silence" when a meeting of police commanders was given the news. "These tragic events have clearly overwhelmed us... emotionally," said Mr Gull, who is leading the hunt for the serial killer targeting women in the Ipswich red light area.

"When we heard this breaking news, there was stunned silence. Tragic desperate news. I now fear the worst."

He added: "It has been overwhelming. These are tragic circumstances. Whatever people may think of street workers or about prostitutes, these are young girls that come from families. It is tragic, tragic news."

Mr Gull said the two women found yesterday were also naked and lying around 150 yards apart on rough ground near a main road running past the village.

More than 150 officers are now hunting the serial killer thought to be behind the attacks.

PA