Tip-off leads to arrest of murder suspect after nine-day manhunt in Yorkshire

Mark Hobson, the prime suspect in two double-murder inquiries in North Yorkshire, gave himself up to police yesterday after he was cornered in a field a few miles from the second crime scene.

Mark Hobson, the prime suspect in two double-murder inquiries in North Yorkshire, gave himself up to police yesterday after he was cornered in a field a few miles from the second crime scene.

Police moved in after Mr Hobson, 34, walked into a petrol station in the village of Shipton-by-Beningbrough at about 3.10pm to buy a packet of cigarette papers, matches and a bottle of water.

Residents suggested he may have been hiding out in a green barn close to the petrol station on the A19 road for a number of days prior to his arrest.

Mr Hobson's appearance at the petrol station, in mud-spattered trousers, suggested that eight days on the run had taken a toll.

Robin Wilson, 32, who works in an upholstery shop next to the petrol station and who saw him leave, said: "He looked as if he had been living beside a cesspit. There was no eye contact. He obviously had difficulties and just wasn't on this planet."

Mr Hobson was taken to Harrogate district hospital last night ­ suffering from an abdominal injury, according to one report.

Police want to question him about the deaths of the twin sisters Claire and Diane Sanderson, 27, whose bodies were discovered nine days ago at the flat he shared with Claire in the North Yorkshire village of Camblesforth. Both had been beaten to death with a hammer and left on the bedroom floor. Three hours later, James Britton, 82, and his wife, Joan, 80, were found stabbed to death 25 miles at Strensall, North Yorkshire.

The two incidents have been forensically linked.

The eighth day of North Yorkshire Police's search for Mr Hobson seemed to be coming to nothing when he wandered into the JD North petrol station and car sales shop owned by Derek North. Mr North, 78, recognised him immediately and telephoned a woman whose home he knew was in the direction the suspect was heading.

The woman, Sheila Hardisty, promptly alerted her son Stephen, who spotted the man fitting Mr Hobson's description as he walked quickly across fields towards a green agricultural building.

The son, a 26-year-old solicitor, said: "I got out my binoculars and trained them on the field. I could see this fellow jogging down the path faster than a walk but slower than a run. Then he got to the edge of a path, stopped and sat down for a minute."

The suspect then started heading back in the direction of an old, green agricultural building. "Suddenly a police car roared up with three armed officers and a dog and they started legging it across the field. By that time the man had disappeared behind the green building," said the witness. Police later confirmed Mr Hobson was apprehended in a field and was in custody at 3.45pm. He was seen lying on the ground surrounded by officers, and was driven to Harrogate police station in an armoured police van escorted by patrol cars to be questioned by detectives.

An officer at the scene said: "He was pretty stressed but gave up straight away. No one came to any harm."

A witness, Trevor Hainsworth, said four police vehicles arrived at the scene before Mr Hobson was arrested behind buildings close to the garage. "Mrs North came out and said: 'We have caught him, we have got him.' Derek North then came outside. He told me that he recognised Hobson straight away," Mr Hainsworth said.

The former dustman may have been hiding in a shed or outbuildings close to the petrol station on the A19 York to Thirsk road for several days. The terrain is flat and remote and offers a number of potential hiding places.

Eric Roberts, 57, another witness, said: "I was going to the post office on Wednesday at around 7am when I saw this guy in army fatigues. He had short, cropped hair and was unshaven.

"I remember thinking at the time maybe it was him, but thought no one would be stupid enough to use a shop in those circumstances. He looked like he had been sleeping rough. I know other people in the village had also spoken about seeing a man hanging around the place."

Harry Shepherd, a local farmer, was on a tractor at 10.30pm on Saturday night when he spotted a man fitting the fugitive's description, wearing a cap.

He telephoned his brother-in-law, Nathan Harrison, who said last night: "There was no way someone should be down that lane at that time of night. Harry couldn't get a good look at his face because of the baseball cap pulled down over his eyes, but he sounded like the suspect all right." The police were called but no one was found.

After the sighting yesterday, officers sealed off a road leading to the garage and Oakdale Upholstery on the A19 just north of Shipton. Forensics teams moved into the garage and began a search for evidence. They were also checking the nearby farm buildings.

Mr North said he could not speak about yesterday's events after being advised by police. But Mrs Hardisty, whose home is 600 yards from the garage, said: "When I got the telephone call from Derek, I could tell immediately that his suspicions were right. Derek's the sort of person that would not kid you when something like that happens. He is also a very watchful kind of person.

"He told me a man was walking down an open path towards our home. It is really scary to think he was so close and probably living rough."