A MOTHER-of-four and her former partner were found dead in a bedroom by a police officer who forced his way into a house.

The 27-year-old man was hanging from a loft hatch and the 23-year-old woman was in a bed.

The bodies were found in the terraced house in Slingsby Crescent, Harrogate, North Yorkshire at 6.20pm on Wednesday after police received a call from a concerned neighbour.

Neither has been formally identified by the police, but both are believed to be local to the area.

Neighbours named them as Rob Johnson and Kelly Smith. Ms Smith had four children aged seven, five, three and one, all of whom are in foster care. She is thought to have lived at the property for about six years.

Police cordoned off the street and the alleyway at the back of the house. Forensic teams and scenes of crime officers spent yesterday at the property, while post-mortem examinations were due to be carried out last night.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "At 6.20pm on Wednesday, as a result of a call from a concerned neighbour, an officer forced entry into an address in Slingsby Crescent.

"Inside, he found two bodies upstairs in the same bedroom, a male hanging from the loft hatch and female in a bed.

"Extensive forensic inquiries are being pursued."

Slingsby Crescent is in a residential area of Harrogate, just off Claro Road and lies close to Harrogate High School. Flowers and tributes were left at the scene yesterday.

A friend of the dead woman, who did not want to be named, said: "Kelly was one of my best friends - she was brilliant, a really good laugh."