Four bodies found in house near Manchester

LONDON, Aug 21 (Reuters) Police said today they have launched a murder inquiry after finding the bodies of a woman and three children at a house in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester.

They were hunting for a 36-year-old man who they believe also lived at the house.

The bodies of two boys and a girl, aged between five and 11, together with the woman, believed to be their mother, were found after police forced their way into the address yesterday evening.

They may have lain in the house for up to four weeks, Detective Superintendent Martin Bottomley told reporters.

''You can image with the hot weather we've had recently what state the bodies were in,'' he said.

Police are urgently seeking the fifth occupant of the house, believed to be local taxi driver Rehman Arshad.

Arshad has not been seen for four weeks and may be driving a silver BMW 320 sports coupe.

''We are concerned for his welfare, we do not know where he is,'' said Bottomley. ''Four people have been killed within the house: we are treating it as a murder inquiry and therefore we do need to speak to the fifth occupant Arshad's details have been circulated to police throughout Britain and officers are also liaising with police forces abroad.

Forensic investigators had yet to establish cause of the death for the four, who have not been formally identified.

REUTERS SP RN2032