Sisters alone with mother's body for days

Police were called to the property in Merseyside when neighbours saw the little girls' legs dangling out of an upstairs window as they threw toys and other items into the street.

Emergency crews who climbed a ladder to gain entry through a window, found the body of Debbie Caldwell, 29, at the house in Albert Street, Wallasey, on Sunday afternoon. Ms Caldwell's daughters are now being cared for by social services, police said.

A Merseyside Police spokesman said the cause of Ms Caldwell's death was not yet known.

"The results of the post-mortem are inconclusive and the cause of death of the 29-year-old woman is unascertained pending toxicology results.

"It is believed that she died on Friday. The formal identification of the woman will take place later today.

"Her two children, aged three and four, who were in the house, have been referred to social services."