A series of raids were carried out on a Bradford housing estate last night as detectives investigated a third murder in 36 hours in the area.

A badly-burned body was found off Holme Lane, near the Holme Wood estate, early yesterday.

The discovery was made less than a mile from where the badly-beaten bodies of two men were found dumped in New Lane late on Tuesday night.

West Yorkshire Police have started two separate murder probes saying there is “nothing to suggest” the killings are linked, although the senior officers in charge of the inquiries were in close contact with one another as their investigations progressed.

Firefighters came across the third body, which was believed to have been so badly burned it could not be identified as male or female, while responding to a report of a fire off Holme Lane at about 6.15am yesterday. Police cordons sealed off streets around the area and all entrances to Pit Hill Park were closed while forensic officers carried out investigations.

One house in nearby Landscove Avenue, Holme Wood, was searched as part of the inquiry yesterday afternoon. Other raids on the estate were continuing into last night. Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor, who is leading the Holme Lane murder inquiry, said he was working closely with Detective Superintendent Dick Nuttall, who is in charge of the investigation of the two murders in New Lane.

Det Supt Taylor said yesterday: “We are working to establish the full circumstances of this incident and inquiries are at a very early stage. I am liaising closely with Detective Superintendent Dick Nuttall, who is investigating the recent incident on New Lane.

“Although the incidents are geographically close, there is nothing to suggest at this stage that they are linked. Our investigations are ongoing and work will now begin around identification.”

He said Neighbourhood Policing Team officers were providing a strong presence in the area through reassurance patrols.

The bodies of two men, believed to be Asian and in their mid 20s to 30s, were discovered by a passing motorist dumped at the side of isolated New Lane, close to its junction with Raikes Lane, on Tuesday at about 10.20pm.

No weapons had been recovered but officers were continuing to examine the scene yesterday, which remained closed to the public.

Police said results of a post-mortem examination on the body of one of the men showed he died of head injuries. Tests on the body of the other man found in New Lane were still being carried out last night and the results were expected to be revealed today.

Det Supt Nuttall said: “Inquiries are progressing with regards to the formal identification of these men and we are working to establish their movements in the hours leading up to their death. We are still very interested to hear from anyone who may have been in the New Lane or Raikes Lane area and have seen anything suspicious in the few hours leading up to this incident.

“I am aware of the ongoing incident at Holme Lane and I am working closely with the Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor.

“Searches and inquiries are still being conducted around the scene at New Lane where the two bodies were found.”

Anyone with information about the murder investigation relating to the body found yesterday in Holme Lane should call the incident room on (01924) 334675.

People with information about the double murder investigation in New Lane should contact a separate incident room on (01924) 334693.

  • Read the full story in Friday's T&A