FORENSIC experts were yesterday continuing to search the home of an out-of-work actor found stabbed to death.

Police said the detailed search iof the two-bedroomed council house at The Grove, Coxhoe, near Durham City, will continue over the weekend.

The second post- mortem examination on 43-year-old Stephen Milburn, above, who was found dead last Sunday afternoon, has been completed and detectives are assessing the results.

Mr Milburn, who appeared in North-East dramas such as Our Friends in the North, died of two stab wounds to his chest that may have been inflicted up to three weeks before his body was found.

Durham Police, who have set up an incident room and have 30 officers working on the investigation, are trying to find out if Mr Milburn, a father-of-two who lived alone, killed himself or was murdered.

"The search of the house will continue through the weekend. We are still trying to establish how he came by his wounds and who was responsible," said a spokesman.

"There is nothing we saying publicly at this stage about the second post-mortem.

"The results of that are being assessed along with the other information we are gathering."

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 0191-375 2236 or, anonymously, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.