Residents of Hampton Road, Oswestry, today spoke of their shock as they woke up to find their normally quiet Shropshire street swarming with police and forensic officers.

Detectives have launched a murder inquiry after the bodies of two women were found at a home Oswestry. A third body, that of a man, was found nearby at 9.30am. Residents leaving for work this morning found the road sealed off with police tape, with police vehicles and officers gathered around a smart dormer bungalow in Hampton Road.

Residents were today in shock and said it was not the sort of thing they expected to happen.

• Town’s triple death mystery

• Pictures from the scene – click here

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Gerald and Berna Thomas, who live a few doors away from the scene of the tragedy, said they were absolutely shocked at news of the deaths.

The retired pensioners said they did not know the family, but added that whoever it involved, it was a terrible tragedy.

“I opened the curtains this morning and saw all the police cars outside and said to my husband something serious must have happened,” Mrs Thomas said.

Susan, Francesca and Hugh McFall on holiday in New York

“This area usually is such a quiet part of town – for something like this to happen it’s very, very sad,” she added.

Another woman who lives close to the tragic scene said: “Everybody keeps themselves to themselves around here.”

Another woman walking her dog said that she had come down to make sure the house did not belong to somebody she knew.

Police forensic teams set up outside the house and more officers in white suits turned up just after 9am to help uniformed officers with the investigation.

The road is a well-used shortcut for drivers from The Mount through to the Welsh Wall area of Oswestry, and scores of drivers were turned round by police this morning as they approached the police cordons from both sides of the road.

The bungalow lies at the bottom of a steep hill in Hampton Road and is surrounded by a large hedge.

Members of Oswestry Town Council said they were deeply saddened to hear of the tragedy in the town.

Oswestry mayor Councillor Margaret Chamberlain said she was shocked to hear the news.

Councillor Betty Gull, a member of the council in the Maserfield ward where the deaths took place, said: “I am deeply saddened, obviously.

“It’s just a dreadful thing to hear about.

“It is normally a quiet area but you can never say where this sort of thing will happen or never know what goes on behind closed doors.

She added: “It is just so very, very sad.”

Moira Benyon, another Oswestry town councillor, said: “It’s quite a shocking thing to happen.

“You never think of it happening in your own area, especially not two of them.

“It’s dreadful. You never think of it coming to your doorstep, but it’s the way the world is going.”

Her colleague Martin Bennett added: “Like many in Oswestry, I’m shocked to find that such a tragedy could strike in the heart of our community.”

Three electricians working for the Chris Norriss Electrical firm said they were shocked by events.

They were among the motorists who were forced to turn around because of the police cordon blocking the road.

Mr Norriss said: “It is quite shocking, you would not think that this sort of thing would happen in Oswestry.”

Keith Barrow, the leader of Shropshire Council and member for Oswestry South, said: “This appears to be a terrible tragedy in the heart of a charming market town. Our thoughts are obviously with the family.

“If there are any extended family members, I’m sure the community will give them all the support they need.”

The Reverend Simon Thorburn, of St Oswald’s Parish, said: “This is clearly a terrible tragedy. The vicarage is open for any friends or neighbours.”

Hilda Morgan, who lives two doors away from the address in Hampton Road, said that she only knew the family to say “hello” to.

“I only knew them casually, not well at all, as they kept themselves to themselves,” she said.

“I was so shocked this morning by the news, it has really made me feel very nervous. When I saw the police tape cordoning off part of my garden I was very frightened. I went to see the police and they told me it was a serious incident and that it was very nasty.”

She said it was very shocking that something so terrible should happen in such a quiet part of Oswestry.

By Wayne Beese