Suffolk murder hunt intensifies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/suffolk/6181779.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Almost 300 officers from nine different police forces have been drafted in to assist Suffolk Constabulary in the hunt for the killer of five women.

Paula Clennell, from Ipswich, has been identified as the fourth dead woman.

A post-mortem examination found the 24-year-old was strangled then dumped in woodland in Levington, near Ipswich.

Police are also expected to identify the fifth body found - thought to be Annette Nicholls, 29, also from Ipswich - and reveal how she died.

The body of the second woman found in woodland was removed to allow Home Office pathologist Dr Nat Cary to carry out a post-mortem examination at a hospital in Ipswich.

Ms Clennell's body was one of two found at the site on Tuesday by police investigating three other murders.

<a href="/1/hi/in_depth/629/629/6175797.stm" class="">Satellite images of key locations</a> She was working as a prostitute.

The other three women have been identified as Gemma Adams, Tania Nicol and Anneli Alderton.

A police spokeswoman said on Thursday that Ms Clennell was last seen at about at 0020 GMT on 10 December on Handford Road near its junction with Burlington Road, Ipswich.

The clothing she was wearing is described as a navy blue anorak with a horizontal light blue band across the chest and sleeve.

She also wore a grey hoodie top, light coloured jeans with a pattern on the pockets and Reebok trainers with a navy blue and light blue/grey flash.

Officers are close to discounting from the inquiry the driver of a blue BMW that Anneli Alderton, from Essex, was reported as getting into before her body was discovered.

<a name="text"></a> <a href="#map" class="bodl">Map: Where the bodies were found</a>

Ms Alderton, whose body was found on Sunday, had also been strangled.

Suffolk Police have set up a mobile unit in Ipswich town centre to provide rape alarms and leaflets advising women in the area how to stay safe.

Insp Ben Cook, in charge of operations there, said: "Due to tragic events people are very concerned in this area and we're taking the opportunity of late-night shopping, so that we can send a positive message to them and give them crime-prevention advice."

Almost 300 officers from nine forces are working on the inquiry and have received more than 6,000 calls from the public.

<a href="#text" class="bodl">Return to story</a>