Concern over fourth missing prostitute in Ipswich

Police say they are concerned about the disappearance of a fourth woman in Ipswich, where three women's bodies have been found in the last week.

Suffolk Police are now looking for a fourth prostitute Paula Clennell, 24, who was last seen on Saturday night.

Police have confirmed that a third body found near Ipswich in a wooded area is that of a prostitute in her 20s from the town. A woman out walking in a wood two miles outside Ipswich on the A14 on Sunday discovered the body.

Police are working on a double murder investigation in the area, but say it is too early to say if the third body is linked to their investigations.

The woman's body found in water at Copdock Mill, near to Ipswich, on Friday was confirmed as that of missing 19-year-old woman, Tania Nicol. While a post mortem has been conducted on the body by a Home Office Pathologist further tests will need to be carried out to ascertain the cause of death.

Detective Superintendent Andy Henwood who is leading the investigation into the murders of Tania Nicol and Gemma Adams, said: "Following the discovery of Tania's body in the brook at Copdock we are now beginning a linked murder investigation.

"There are obvious similarities between Tania and Gemma's disappearances and subsequent deaths so we will be treating these as linked investigations. However, we will be seeking further opinion from specialist advisors to confirm this view."

Ms Adams, 25, was reported missing to police in the early hours of Wednesday November 15 when she failed to return home after spending the evening in Ipswich. Ms Nichol went missing on October 30. The bodies of Ms Adams and Ms Nicol were found in the same waterway around two miles apart.

Both bodies were naked when they were found, but police said that there were no signs of sexual assault neither were there obvious injuries to either body.

Anyone who has any information in relation to these investigations is asked to call Suffolk police.

(SP/KMcA)