Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Police cordoned off Glin Ree Court after three bodies were found in a flat

Police investigating three deaths in Newry, County Down, have begun a murder inquiry but are "not currently seeking anyone else" in the investigation.

The bodies of a man, a woman and a teenage girl were found when officers "forced entry" to a flat in the city.

Det Supt Jason Murphy said police went to the flat after a relative reported concerns that they had not been in contact with a family member for days.

He added that police did not yet know how the three people died.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption PSNI Det Supt Jason Murphy says the force have begun a murder inquiry

The bodies were discovered in the flat in Glin Ree Court off Downshire Road at about 11:00 GMT on Thursday.

Mr Murphy told reporters the girl was aged about 15, the woman was about 37 and the man was about 38.

They have not yet been formally identified and their nationalities have not been confirmed.

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Forensic investigators are examining the scene

Mr Murphy said the investigation was still at a very early stage and police "have no defined cause of death for those individuals".

However, he said he was satisfied to start a murder inquiry.

"At this stage, I don't believe that anybody else was involved in the deaths of those three individuals," he said.

"I am not currently seeking anyone else in connection with their deaths."

Speaking earlier, SDLP MLA Justin McNulty told BBC News NI: "A dark cloud is hanging over this area today and it's really sad.

"Police did tell me that the circumstances were suspicious and above that I don't know any more information.

"Regardless of what the circumstances are, it's really shocking news."

Image caption SDLP MLA Justin McNulty said the deaths have left a "dark cloud" over Newry

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA William Irwin: "This is an awful tragedy and I understand police have commenced investigations into this very concerning discovery."

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Glin Ree Court is an apartment block off Downshire Road in the city

Sinn Féin MP Mickey Brady said it was a "tragedy".

"There's a teenage girl has lost her life and that will have a knock on effect on her friends," he said.

He added that it was for vital police to keep the public informed: "It's important that the facts are eventually put in the public domain as people will continue to speculate".