Detectives investigating the death of out-of-work actor Stephen Milburn this morning stepped up house-to-house inquiries in The Grove area of Coxhoe, near Durham City.

A mobile police station was this morning opened near the scene of the death and forensic teams are continuing to examine the inside of the two-bedroom council house.

The body of the 42-year-old man was found on the kitchen floor of the house on Sunday. He had suffered stab wounds and is thought to have been dead for several weeks.

Police this morning appealed for anyone who had seen Mr Milburn at any time in November to come forward.