AN inquest has opened into the deaths of a mother and her two children after last week's suspected suicide tragedy at Haytor.

Young mum Katherine Hooper, 24, of Duke's Close, Paignton, jumped 100ft to her death from the Dartmoor beauty spot with her five-year-old son Josh Patterson on Friday, writes Paul James.

Police probing the double death later found the body of the mum's two-year-old son, Sam Patterson, at her home address in the resort.

The hearing in Torquay was told on Wednesday that Ms Hooper and Josh were found dead at the bottom of the rocks.

The grim task of identifying all three bodies fell to Ms Hooper's father Peter Hooper, a self-employed labourer and builder from Widecombe-in-the-Moor.

The medical cause of each death has yet to be ascertained pending results of histology and toxicology tests.

It emerged this week that she was considered a 'high risk vulnerable person' who was well known to police, social services and other care agencies.

A serious case review has now been launched in the wake of the tragic events in Torbay and Teignbridge.

Visitors to Haytor who saw the mother and son fall from the rocks were later comforted at Ashburton Police Station where they made witness statements.

The popular tourist spot was sealed off for the rest of the day after the disturbing incident was reported just after noon.

A family spokesman for the mother and children said later: 'We are finding it very hard to come to terms with the tragic deaths of Katherine, Josh and Sam.

'All were greatly loved and their deaths have left us devastated.

'We are a strong family unit and ask that we are left alone to grieve in peace.'

A full inquest into the deaths will be held at a later date.

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