Image copyright EPA Image caption The shooting took place in a comfortable, spacious house near St Poelten

Austrian police say six bodies have been found in a house 54km (34 miles) west of Vienna, after a suspected shooting of family members.

Few details are available, but Austrian media say a woman is suspected of having shot her mother, brother and three children aged seven to 10, before turning the gun on herself.

The attack happened in Boeheimkirchen, a small town just outside St Poelten.

The alarm was raised after the children failed to go to school for three days.

Image copyright AFP Image caption The building used to be a small family hotel, a neighbour said

A neighbour reported their absence, public broadcaster ORF said. The woman suspected of the massacre was aged 35, her mother 59 and brother 40, ORF reported.

The shooting is believed to have happened three days ago.

The family moved into the house, in the Schildberg area, 18 months ago. A neighbour said they had "behaved in a very withdrawn way, mostly going out only in the evening". He said he had sold the house to the family.
Six members of one family, including three children, are found dead in Böheimkirchen, Austria. Police suspect a murder-suicide by one of the female relatives.