By Jamie Thompson BBC News, Nottingham

Tristan Dawson feels vulnerable after the murders

But the double murder of two rough sleepers has left a city's homeless community reeling.

Police are hunting the killer of two women after their bodies were discovered at a disused warehouse in Nottingham.

The city's tight-knit homeless community, to which they belonged, is devastated.

Zoe Pennick, 26, had not been seen for six weeks when her body was discovered by police this week.

It could have been any one of us Tristan Dawson

Officers were examining the derelict building after finding the remains of Katie Baxter, 18, just days earlier.

Police said they will remain at the site over the next few days, but do not believe there will be any other bodies.

For people living on the streets in the city, however, the discoveries are a brutal reminder of their vulnerability.

Tristan Dawson, 29, said: "A lot of people are talking about it - this has shocked us all.

"I knew Katie very well. I've known her for a few years, she was a very nice girl, but she was very vulnerable.

"But I suppose we are all vulnerable when you are on the streets.

Supt David Colbeck said he does not expect to find more bodies

"She was easily led into things but what happened to her was horrific.

"It could have been any one of us."

It was homeless people in Nottingham who initially raised concerns over the welfare of the two women.

"The police have spoken to everyone of us and are still going around," said Mr Dawson.

"People have been panicking by what's happened."

Detectives warned the estimated 60 young people living rough in Nottingham to be "vigilant".

Examining scene

But Supt David Colbeck, who is leading the investigation, said they did not believe there was a killer targeting homeless people.

He said: "We don't anticipate finding any more bodies on the site but we have to continue to search the entire area for any evidence towards these two murders.

"Our intelligence is this isn't someone out there randomly targeting homeless people.

The two women were both sleeping rough in Nottingham

"We have been here for a week now because of the size of the site. I would think we will be here for another week as well.

"It's a very slow, painstaking process and we have got to go through piece by piece."

He said he understood why the homeless community had been left in a state of shock and panic but praised their support.

"They are a fairly tight-knit community," said Supt Colbeck.

"Most know each other or have all seen each other at some stage and clearly there's alarm at why this happened to their community.

"They have been really, really helpful and are continuing to be helpful.

"It was the community that raised the safety of the two girls to us."

Murder charge

The body of a third homeless woman, Ellen Frith, 25, was found in a burned-out flat in the St Ann's area of the city on 25 January.

Two men have been charged with her murder.

Supt Colbeck said: "We are not, at this stage, linking these two with that."

He added police were now trying to find out how Ms Pennick and Ms Baxter died.

"We believe they were murdered and we now have to establish the causes of death," he said.

"We have linked the two cases because of the proximity of the two bodies."