Two young women found dead in flat

Two young women are believed to have gassed themselves to death in a suspected copycat "chemical" suicide pact. The pair, believed to be in their 20s, were found in a flat in Putney, south west London. The windows had been taped up.

Detectives are investigating whether the couple were already known to each other, or if they had met in an online suicide forum. They are also investigating whether they found the ingredients for the lethal substance on the internet.

Suzanne Viggers, 53, who lives opposite the flat where the bodies were found, said an African woman in her late 20s had lived there for the past few months. The Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command was alerted but a chemical attack was ruled out following the discovery of the bodies by police and firefighters wearing gas masks and protective suits.