Police said today they are keeping "an open mind" about whether two double murders, which happened within 25 miles of each other, are linked.

North Yorkshire Police said two young women died in a ''vicious assault'' in a flat in the village of Camblesforth, near Selby.

Assistant Chief Constable Roger Baker told a press conference in York he was ''keeping an open mind'' on whether there were links with the murder of two pensioners near Strensall, north of York, yesterday.

He warned the public to beware of 34-year-old Mark Richard Hobson, who is wanted for questioning in relation to the Camblesforth deaths.

mfl Detective Superintendent Javad Ali did not name the victims but said: ''Post-mortem examinations will be carried out later today and the cause of death is yet to be established but it is apparent that both women had been victims of a vicious assault.

''We are treating this as a murder investigation.''

He added: ''We would like to speak to a man in connection with these deaths.

''He is Mark Richard Hobson, who is 34 years old and who lived at the address in Camblesforth where the bodies were found.

''His present whereabouts are not known and police inquiries have so far failed to locate him.

''We are appealing for him to contact the police as a matter of urgency.''

The detective added: ''We believe that Hobson may pose a risk to members of the public and we strongly advise people not to approach him. If you believe you have seen him, please contact the police immediately.''

Mr Ali said Hobson is described as a white man, 5ft 9ins tall, of slim build, with a shaven balding head and a 2-inch scar about his left eye. Mr Baker added: ''We've been asked if we are linking the incidents at Camblesforth and at Strensall.

''All I can say now is that we have open minds on this and we will continue to review the possibility regularly.''

Turning to the Camblesforth deaths, Mr Baker said: ''I want to reassure the public that this commitment of resources is a measure of our determination to bring the person or persons responsible for these deaths to justice as quickly and as safely as possible.

''Every North Yorkshire police officer is looking for this person and I give the public my guarantee that we will spare no effort to ensure their safety.''

The press conference heard police were called to an address in Millfield Drive, Camblesforth, at 8.09am yesterday.

Mr Ali said: ''On attending the scene, officers discovered the bodies of two women in an upstairs bedroom, who have yet to be formally identified but we believe them to be sisters aged in their 20s.''

Neither of the officers would take any questions.