Southport murders: Lodger Barry Morrow 'seen in France'

Police believe lodger Barry Morrow, 51, may be in France or Spain

A man police want to speak over the murder of a mother and daughter who were murdered at a house on Merseyside may have been spotted in France.

Angela Holgate, 54, and Alice Huyton, 75, were found dead at Ms Holgate's home in Fairhaven Road in Marshside, Southport, at 17:45 GMT on Saturday.

Post-mortem examination results showed they died of asphyxiation, with Ms Holgate dying before her mother.

Police are trying to trace Barry Morrow, 51, who lodged at the house.

Detectives said he was seen in Calais on Saturday evening after apparently driving there in Ms Holgate's white Citroen, with the registration plate PN11 RWK.

He was seen at 19:20 GMT on Saturday after he caught the ferry from Dover and it is thought he may have been travelling to Spain.

'Everything he knows'

Police said they believed Mr Morrow may have information vital to the investigation.

Ch Supt Nikki Holland, area commander for Sefton, said: "We want him to return to England to speak to us and tell us everything he knows."

Angela Holgate, 54, was found dead with her mother on Saturday evening

He is described as white, 5ft 7in (1.7m), of a medium to stocky build, with straight, short, brown, receding hair and blue eyes.

Police sources confirmed that he was "known to the police".

Mr Morrow has a previous conviction for assault, having pleaded guilty last year to assaulting a woman in Southport.

The victim in that case was not Ms Holgate or Mrs Huyton.

Mrs Huyton was last seen on Friday evening when she left her home in Southport to visit her daughter.

Ms Holgate, the mother of two adult daughters, had been ill and had not been seen out of the house for the previous week.

Officers were called to the house by Ms Holgate's son-in-law, who found the bodies.

Husband 'devastated'

Ms Holgate's car was also missing from the drive.

Mrs Huyton was married and her husband, who is in his 80s, is said to be devastated at the news of the deaths.

Alice Huyton lived in Southport with her husband

Police said the two women were found together but would not say where in the house they were found.

They confirmed that the "indication" from the post-mortem was that Ms Holgate died before her mother, but it has not been established how long before.

It is also understood that Ms Holgate was not in a romantic relationship with Mr Morrow at the time she died.

Police said they were "keeping an open mind" about the motive behind the killings.

Neighbours said Ms Holgate, who sold Avon products, had lived in the house for about 20 years.

Mr Morrow was first seen at the address earlier this year. He had recently re-paved the front garden and driveway.

A neighbour, who said they had stopped to compliment him on the work, said: "I told him he was doing a good job and he told me he was the lodger.

"He asked me if I needed any jobs doing about the house.

"He was very powerfully built. He could lift the flagstones with one hand. He seemed very affable.

"She was quiet but always said hello.

"I haven't the faintest idea what could have happened. It's very worrying."