A COMMUNITY is in mourning after the grim discovery of the bodies of a family of four at their Bradford home.

Neighbours, friends and local councillors all spoke of their shock at the news of the deaths of Jitendra Lad, his wife Duksha, and their daughters, Trisha and Nisha.

Their bodies were found at their smart detached house on Blackberry Way on Monday evening after neighbours and relatives had raised concerns at not seeing the family for some time.

The family was roundly described as lovely, friendly, chatty and happy - with no inclination of any problems.

One young woman, who did not want to be named, said she found the bodies but could not say anymore about it.

However, she added: "They were the loveliest people, the best neighbours we have ever had. This was totally out of the blue."

A next door neighbour said he saw Mr and Mrs Lad on Sunday and that "they were fine" and had been celebrating the Diwali festival. He added that the family were of Indian origin and that Mrs Lad had been educated at Buttershaw school in the city.

"They have been here about six or seven years. They did everything together, even the garden. They did my garden for me.

"When they did something, they did it all together," he said.

"It really is shocking. I got up early in the morning and realised what had happened."

A woman who knew Mrs Lad said her mother had died in the last couple of weeks.

Jessica Garside - a friend of Trisha - said: "She was so lovely. She always had a bright smile on her face.

"She was always happy."

She added: "Even when I saw her round school she would always smile and say hello and check I'm all right. I think that was the general gist of the family."

Miss Garside said she Trisha was studying at Leeds University.

"She was really good at science," she said.

"I feel numb at the moment. I don't feel like it's happened. I still feel like I'm going to go to the bus stop one day and she'll be stood there smiling as ever. it's heartbreaking to know she won't be. It's just horrible."

She added: "She'll be missed dearly. I see pictures on Facebook of her going out in her uni life and she looks happy and now we don't know what's happened to her. I just hope there's a god out there looking after her."

Melissa Taylor, president of the Faculty of Biological Sciences Society at the university, said on Twitter: "Heartbreaking to hear about the death of Trisha Lad, such a lovely, well-liked person. Rest in Peace."

Steph Mapplebeck said: "Trisha Lad was one of the sweetest and kindest people I have met while studying at Leeds. What a heartbreaking loss.

Rest in peace."

A fitness instructor called Cath tweeted the Telegraph & Argus to say: "Duksha and her daughters came to my spin classes at Thornton Recreation Centre. They were lovely, chatty and will be sadly missed."

Neighbour Barry Hawkins, 62, said: "I used to say hello to the mum and dad and I used to see the daughter go to school. I've seen them grow up.

"I've delivered papers up here for 20 years so I know everybody.

"They were a lovely couple and the kids were lovely. Well mannered. They were well respected.

"I've know them for ten years. It's bad but it'll pull us all together."

One man said the oldest daughter was studying at university and added that the family had been celebrating Diwali at the weekend.

He said: "I knew them to the extent of speaking to them. We passed the time of day - they were pleasant enough. We didn't know their names."

The man added: "We didn't know anything had happened, not until we saw the ambulance. It is not something you expect to happen on your doorstep."

One woman was visibly shaken, as she said: "I have just heard the news and I am just absolutely shocked.

"I cannot believe this has happened just around the corner - I am shocked."

Neighbours in nearby Bilberry Way also told of their shock.

One man said: "They were nice people, a nice, normal family. It is tragic."

He added that he had last seen the family on Saturday and that they were having a firework celebration to mark Diwali.

"My family is getting scared," he added. "They are putting extra locks on the doors."

One woman said: "I am shocked and a bit scared. They were a decent family.

"We have not been here long, but whenever we see them, it is 'hello, are you all right?'."

Another man said: "I was chatting to him the other day. He was being nice."

Councillor Michelle Swallow (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green) said: "It is just absolutely awful. We don't know what it is that has led to their demise, but it is just horrific - a whole family.

"It is a really nice area up there.

"I just cannot imagine what has led to their deaths - a lot goes through your mind."

Cllr Swallow said she and her fellow Clayton councillors had received calls from numerous worried residents.

"It is not the sort of thing that happens in a nice place like Clayton," she said. "It doesn't happen anywhere - waking up one morning and the whole family next door is dead."

Councillor Sinead Engel (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green, Lab) said: "It is devastating to hear. Someone in that household was feeling very, very desperate regarding something in their life and you have just got to feel sympathy for anyone in that situation."

She added: "It has become clear that this family was loved and respected by people around them. They would have helped them. If anyone else is in that situation, please reach out for help.

"It is horrible and heartbreaking."

Shop manager Niraj Patel, 49, said he was an old school friend of Mr Lad and knew him well.

"I've known him all my life he was a childhood friend. He worked in IT in Britannia House for Bradford Council.

"The last time I saw him was a few months ago when he have me a lift home, that was the last time I saw him.

"He was a very happy, easy-going chap, always a smile on his face, they were a lovely family.

"I'm totally shocked."