Sheffield double murder: Boy, 4, raises alarm as mum and daughter found dead in their house

POLICE have launched a double murder investigation after the bodies of a mother and her daughter were found at a house in Sheffield this morning.

The bodies of the women, named by locals as Tracy Donnelly, 40, and her daughter Louise, 22, were found at a three-bedroom town house on Ironside Road in the Hemsworth district at around 7.40am.

Neighbours were alerted to the tragedy when a young boy, believed to be Tracy’s four-year-old son, Daniel, wandered out of the house crying. He was later seen being comforted by police wrapped in a blanket before being taken away

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Eight police vehicles were at the scene and shocked neighbours were weeping openly as they heard the news.

A man was arrested on suspicion of murder and was being questioned in custody.

One neighbour said she saw a man running out of the house late last night.

She said: “A man came out of the house last night in a real rush. He had no shoes on, jumped in his car and sped off.”

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Another neighbour, Tracey Johnson, said: “I can’t believe this has happened because Tracy and Louise are both lovely people - they didn’t deserve this.

“It’s frightening to think it has happened right on your doorstep. But I don’t think there was anything any of us could do about it.

“Daniel was at my house only the other day playing with my three-year-old daughter. It’s awful for him, he is a lovely cheerful little boy. It’s a dreadful shock and we are all so shocked by what has happened.”

Locals said Tracy Donnelly had lived at the house for about 18 months with her young son. Her daughter Louise, a barmaid, had been staying there for only around a week.

Police said the investigation was still in its very early stages.