Updated at 13:00

POLICE IN THE UK have identified a man they say is a suspect in their investigation into a quadruple murder in which four members of the same family were killed.

The bodies of university lecturer Jifeng Deng, 46, his wife Helen Chui, 47, and their two daughters aged 12 and 18 were found dead in their home by police officers were called to the scene on Sunday.

The BBC reports that police are searching for 52-year-old Anxiang Du who is from the West Midlands area in connection with the deaths.

Earlier, Northampton police launched a public appeal for information regarding a car they believe may be linked to the deaths of four people at the weekend.

All four had suffered stab wounds, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Police said earlier that the deaths were “‘not random”, but that the motive does not appear to have been either burglary or robbery.

Northampton police are appealing for information regarding a silver Vauxhall Corsa, with the registration BG60 PMO. It is understood one of the family had hired the car and that it was at their home on Friday, but has not been found at the premises since the deaths were discovered.

Police advised anyone who sees the vehicle not to approach it or anyone who is with it, but to instead contact them immediately.

Forensic experts are continuing to study the scene and post-mortem examinations are due to be held this week. Police are treating the incident as a quadruple murder.