POLICE are hunting two Albanian men with links with Bolton in connection with a murder of Kurdish soldier in the North East of England.

Father-of-two Hemwand Ali Hussain, 30, was shot dead in a property in Hartlepool in September 15 last year. He served in the Kurdish military and was said to be a skilled sniper and joined the front line against the Islamic State.

Now police have identified two Albanian men they want to speak to.

The have issued photographs and descriptions of Qazim Marku, aged 23, and Eugert Merizaj, aged 28.

Both men were born in Albania, but were understood to have links to a number of areas across the UK including Cleveland, Bolton, Sheffield and London.

Merizaj is around 5ft 5ins tall with brown eyes with a receding hairline. Marku is around 5ft 8ins tall with brown eyes and short dark hair.

Detective chief inspector Sarah Robinson said: "We'd appeal to anyone who can provide information to help us locate these wanted men to get in contact with police, and if anyone sees these men, they are asked not to approach them but to contact us on 999."