Police say prostitutes "hold key" to killer

LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) Police hunting the killer of at least two prostitutes in East Anglia today said they believe the street walkers of Ipswich may have vital information that could help identify the murderer.

''I am convinced the working prostitutes in Ipswich probably hold the key as to who is responsible and they need to contact Suffolk Police with any suspicions they may have,'' said Detective Chief Superintendent Stewart Gull.

He appealed for sex workers to come forward after police mounted high-visibility patrols in the red light area of the city overnight.

Gull said it was too early to say whether one individual or more were behind the murders. Three prostitutes have been found dead and two more reported missing.

Gull said there has still not been any news of Paula Clennell, 24, who has not been seen since Saturday nor of 29-year-old Annette Nicholls, who has been missing for at least a week.

He said officers were still only linking two murders -- those of Gemma Adams, 25, and 19-year-old Tania Nicol whose naked bodies were found in the same stretch of water to the west of the city.

The naked corpse of a third woman, 24, was found in Nacton to the east of Ipswich on December 10.

''We are not linking it (the death) at this stage. Clearly there are distinct and striking similarities -- all young, all women, all prostitutes who worked the streets of Ipswich,'' he said.

The deaths and disappearances have spread panic in the back streets of Ipswich which were quiet yesterday night as most sex workers heeded police warnings to stay at home.

On December 2 police found Nicol in a stream and on December 8 police divers recovered the body of Adams in the same stretch of water.

Detectives have said none of the dead women is thought to have been sexually assaulted.

Reuters SHB VV1520