A father is thought to have stabbed his wife and their two young children before he died from smoke inhalation.

The bodies of Richard and Clair Smith and their sons, nine-year-old Ben and Aaron, one, were found at their home in Pudsey, near Leeds, West Yorkshire, on Sunday.

Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor, of West Yorkshire Police, said Mrs Smith, 36, died from a single stab wound to her chest, as did baby Aaron.

Ben suffered a stab wound to the chest area but died as a result of suffocation.

Emergency services were called to the cul-de-sac property after relatives raised the alarm

The bodies were discovered in an upstairs bedroom, which was damaged by fire, police said.

The house had a broken lounge window – the only other sign of anything out of the ordinary. Family photographs could be seen inside and two cars were parked outside.

Neighbours said the family had moved in a few months ago.

Smith’s cousin Gary Tempest said the 37-year-old father “thought the world” of his children, adding: “I’ve known Richard all my life. There’s never been any bad things, arguing or anything.”

One woman who laid flowers at the police cordon said her children went to school with one of the boys.

She said: “It’s terrible. From what I saw of them, they were very fun-loving, kind and caring – full of life.”

Another woman leaving tributes at the scene said they were a “lovely family”.

SKY News