Boyfriend sought as bodies found in hunt for ex-EastEnders actress and sons

Murder squad detectives are searching for the boyfriend of an ex-EastEnders actress after three bodies were found by police looking for the performer and her two children.

Sian Blake, 43, who played Frankie Pierre in the hit soap, vanished with her sons Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, in east London on December 13.

Three days later, police interviewed her partner, the children's father Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, at the family's home in Erith, Kent, before he also disappeared.

Officers made the grim discovery in the garden today and launched a murder inquiry.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Detective Superintendent Paul Monk said: "Sadly today we found three bodies around about lunchtime in the back garden of their home address and as such, this is now a murder investigation.

"Formal identification has yet to take place, it's too early to speculate but of course the family has been told and this is obviously a very difficult time for them.

"Our efforts are continuing to find Arthur Simpson-Kent. Our appeal is to anyone who may know his current whereabouts or can assist us in finding him - we do need to speak to him as a matter of urgency. "

Former actress Ms Blake had motor neurone disease - a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord - and was reportedly looking "very frail" before she vanished.

She and her children were last seen in Waltham Forest, east London, on December 13, and her silver-beige Renault Scenic was found in Calvert Avenue in Bethnal Green, east London, on January 3, but it is not known who parked it there.

Yesterday Scotland Yard confirmed that the murder squad had taken over the investigation.

Next-door neighbour Sam Sanni-Alashe was in tears over the news.

He said: "I am in shock, I can't talk. It is really hurtful. I know the lady. I see the children playing at the back. I say hello all the time. We are not close but she was a very happy woman.

"This is a disaster and it is awful for the community. I can see everything in the garden but these last few days I have chosen not to look.

"When my son finds out, he will be terrified."

Another neighbour Hannah Cutting, 18, said: "I would see the kids playing at the window, then we were worried when police were there 24/7.

"It's awful just to think that something can happen on your doorstep and you see people and you have no idea what's going on."