A man has appeared in court charged with murdering his parents in their own home.

Ismail Ahmed Yeli, 80, and 78-year-old Fatma Leli were found stabbed to death in a house on Hardman Street in Blackburn on Monday, Lancashire Police said.

Their family described the couple as “inseparable”, adding they were “heartbroken” to have lost “the oldest and most cherished members of our family”.

Yasin Leli, 46, also of Hardman Street, has been charged with two counts of murder and appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court where he was told he would next appear at Preston Crown Court on 15 September.

Officers were called to the house at just after 08:20 BST and found the couple had died from multiple stab wounds.

Lancashire Police said: “Our thoughts remain with their loved ones at this distressing time.”

The family thanked police for their “professionalism and compassion”, as well as local councillors and the wider community and Masjid-e-Quwwatul mosque for their support.

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