A man and a woman have been found dead on heathland near the town of Heerlen in Limburg, police said on Tuesday afternoon.

One eyewitness said the two had been stabbed but this has not been confirmed by the police, who have said both people ‘died violently’.

The first body was found on the Brunssummerheide nature reserve shortly before midday by a man who was out walking his dog. The second body was found around 100 metres away some 40 minutes later. The Brunssummerheide is a popular spot with dog walkers.

De politie onderzoekt het overlijden van een man en een vrouw op de #Brunssummerheide. Beide slachtoffers zijn door geweld om het leven gekomen. Er is een ruime afzetting gemaakt. https://t.co/2cF5BgSbbm pic.twitter.com/Sw6YjQBHlU

— Politie Limburg (@PolLimburg) May 7, 2019

The eyewitness, who does not want to be named told local news website De Limburger that he came across the second body after alerting the police to the first. ‘I ran back to the police to tell them that someone else had been stabbed,’ he said.

Police also found two dogs at the scene, thought to belong to the dead people, which have been taken away by the animal rescue service.

Police have not established if there is a relationship between the couple and if anyone else is involved. Nor have they said anything about their age or background.

The crime scene has been sealed off and a police helicopter is taking aerial photographs of the area.