TWO women were arrested today by police heading the hunt for the man wanted over four North Yorkshire murders.

Detective Superintendent Javad Ali, leading the murder inquiry, has revealed there were possible sightings of danger man Mark Hobson in Selby early today, and that two addresses in the town were searched.

It is not known if those arrested were found at these addresses.

Mr Ali said: "We haven't arrested anyone directly connected with the murders, but we have arrested two people in matters related to the circumstances of the scene."

At a press conference in York today, he vowed police would find Hobson. But said: "He (Hobson) could be anywhere. He could on foot, he could be on a bike, he could be in a taxi."

Hobson, 34, was the boyfriend of Claire Sanderson, one of the 27-year-old twins found murdered at an address in Camblesforth at 8am on Sunday.

Police are searching for him in relation to their deaths and those of James and Joan Britton, elderly pensioners found murdered in Strensall the same day.

Police said nothing appeared to have been taken from the Britton's large detached home.

They did however disclose that different weapons had been found at each murder scene and the probable murder weapon for the Camblesforth murder had been discovered.

Police also appeared to rule out that Hobson may have fled abroad, insisting that his passport was accounted for.

Today's press conference followed a series of raids, searches and operations across Selby and Camblesforth.

Police, some with dogs, swooped on a terraced house in Abbots Road, Selby, and took away a woman. The property was cordoned off, with police standing outside it after the raid.

Officers are also believed to have raided a semi-detached house in Coupland Road, off Millgate, Selby.

A neighbour in Abbots Road said she was awoken at about 5.15 am. "I looked out of the window and saw about 12 police officers with at least half of them armed and a dog handler and four police vehicles."

In York, Mr Ali said police had taken hundreds of phone calls and dozens of officers were making inquiries into Hobson's whereabouts." He said: "Make no mistake, we will trace him."

Mr Ali said that officers had visited scores of locations in Yorkshire and were visiting others. He said CCTV tapes from petrol stations, town centres and other locations were being studied by officers.

Asked about neighbourhood reports that a man was seen near the Brittons' home on Sunday morning, Mr Ali said "We have a number of sightings of a man of a similar description to that of Mark Hobson in and around that area."

It has also emerged that Hobson worked at the Selby factory where Claire Sanderson was an employee, but he was sacked in 2002 after stabbing a man in broad daylight.

Hobson worked on the production line at Rigid Containers factory, in Denison Road, Selby, two years ago. He was involved in stacking cardboard for about four months.

Hobson stabbed William Brace five times, in Gowthorpe, Selby, in front of horrified shoppers. He was given a two-year probation order and 100 hours of unpaid community work.

Updated: 13:43 Wednesday, July 21, 2004