POLICE are looking for three hooded youths seen entering a block of flats where three members of the same family were tied up and shot dead in their own home.

Nine-month-old Christanio Morrison was the only survivor of the triple murder in Stonebridge near Wembley, northwest London.

The bodies of his mother, Lorna, 34, her sister, Connie, 27, and their mother's partner, Noel Patterson, 62, were lying on the bedroom floor.

They were found at around 2.30pm on Friday when a family friend found the door of the two-bedroom flat in Clark Court, Stilton Crescent, unlocked.

The friend ran to call Evelyn Daley, the sister's mother who worked nearby as a carer, before they alerted police.

Christanio was taken to Central Middlesex hospital, but was uninjured. The baby is now in local authority care.

"The victims had been incapacitated by the use of restraints," said Detective Superintendent Gary Richardson, who leads the inquiry.

The bodies were removed from the complex crime scene only late yesterday. Although post mortems were due to take place today, it is thought all three were shot in the head.

Cartridges found on the scene suggest that one or more semi-automatic guns were used.

Officers want to speak to three hooded black youths used seen entering Clark Court between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Thursday night. The trio may have parked a vehicle near the entrance in Diamond Street.

They were described as 6ft tall, with the third much shorter. Two were dressed in dark colours, while one wore lighter clothing.

Mr Richardson did not rule out a possible motive of burglary or robbery for the murders.

Neighbours reported noises that could have been gunshots at times between 8.30pm and midnight. Yet no-one called police at the time.

Detectives believe the killings took place between 8.30pm on Thursday, when Patterson was last contacted, and 2.30pm on Friday when the bodies were found.

"This is an horrific crime, with a family devastated by a triple murder," Mr Richardson said.

"The whole community has been shocked by this violence."

Anyone with information can call the incident room on 020 8733 4704.