Two children and man found dead at house in Hinckley

The deceased man was named locally as David Stokes

The bodies of two children and a man have been discovered at a house in Leicestershire.

A disturbance was reported at Welwyn Road, Hinckley at about 21:30 GMT on Tuesday.

Detectives believe the deceased to be David Stokes, 43, and his sons Adam, 11, and Matthew, aged five.

An injured woman, who left the house in the early hours and is being treated in hospital, has been locally identified as 44-year-old Sally Stokes.

Forensic officers have been seen going into the property

Trained police negotiators were deployed to the house following concerned calls from neighbours.

After Mrs Stokes left and was being given first aid, officers searched the house and found the bodies of a man and two children.

The causes of death are not yet known but detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "They were very nice people."

Det Ch Supt David Sandall of Leicestershire Police said trained negotiators spoke to the man and woman at the address for several hours.

He said: "In the early hours of this morning the officers gained access to the property following a female who left the address with injuries.

"Officers provided first aid to the female, she remains in a stable condition in the hospital.

"At that time, [other] officers entered the address, they found a male who was pronounced dead within the address.

"Tragically, and very traumatically, the officers on searching the address have also found two deceased children.

"I'm appealing to anybody who knows any information about what occurred last night in the address or anybody who can… tell us about what happened within this family leading to these tragic circumstances."

At the scene - Jeremy Ball for East Midlands Today

Police have remained at the house into the evening

It has hit people really hard here [in Welwyn Road]. Just after we arrived we saw one woman on the street in tears.

The question is why did these three people lose their lives?

We still don't know how they died, or what their injuries were. We won't know until we get the results of a post-mortem examination.

Arrangements have been made for a candlelit vigil in Hinckley tomorrow afternoon.

The two boys attended St Mary's CE primary school, and the head teacher, Rachel Ayres, said: "Everyone is devastated by the tragic news about our pupils, Adam and Matthew, and our sincere sympathies are with their family and friends."

She said special assemblies will be held to support the children at the school.

As officers had been in contact with both the man and the woman during the evening, Leicestershire Police has informed the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Police have been at the house since Tuesday evening

Welwyn Road remains cordoned off while officers investigate