A CORONER has released the bodies of the five women killed in Suffolk but police are still carrying out investigations into how they died.The bodies of Tania Nicol, 19, Gemma Adams, 25, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, were formerly released by Greater Suffolk Coroner Dr Peter Dean on Friday.

A CORONER has released the bodies of the five women killed in Suffolk but police are still carrying out investigations into how they died.

The bodies of Tania Nicol, 19, Gemma Adams, 25, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clennell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29, were formerly released by Greater Suffolk Coroner Dr Peter Dean on Friday.

The move will enable the victim's families to arrange funeral services to lay their loved-ones to rest.

Miss Alderton, from Colchester, was strangled and Miss Clennell, from Ipswich, died as a result of compression to the neck, post mortem examinations have revealed.

But initial examinations of Miss Adams, Miss Nicol and Miss Nicholls, all from Ipswich, were inconclusive and further tests have had to be carried out.

Police have not revealed whether they have since established a cause of death for the three women and the force refused to comment saying proceedings were active.

A spokesman for the coroner's office in Ipswich, however, said investigations relating to causes of death were ongoing, although the bodies had been formerly released.

He said: “All of the bodies were released on Friday. They have had a Home Office post-mortem examination and a post-mortem on behalf of the defence and an independent post-mortem, so obviously there is nothing else that can be done as far as this goes and they have been released to the families. The investigation into the cause of death continues.”

All of the victims worked as prostitutes in the red-light area of Ipswich and their naked bodies were found during an 11-day period in villages on the outskirts of the town.

Operation SUMAC, as the investigation is known, has so far involved more than 500 staff from 27 forces from across England and Wales.

House-to-house enquiries continue and further letter drops are planned to seek information from different communities.

A report to Suffolk Police Authority said forensic work is continuing and a questionnaire for prostitutes is being prepared.

It said open searches were complete for the moment but further searches “might be necessary on sites where prostitutes are known to take clients”.

n Steve Wright, 48, of London Road, Ipswich, has been charged with the murder of all five women. He is currently in custody at Belmarsh prison, and is due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on May 1.