British police were searching Wednesday for a suspect who may have a crossbow after three women were killed in what police believe was a "targeted" attack.

Kyle Clifford, 26, from north London, is wanted in connection with the deaths of the women in Bushey, near Watford, north of London, on Tuesday night.

Hertfordshire Police said officers were called to a house in the town, where the three women aged 25, 28, and 61 were pronounced dead at the scene.

Chief Superintendent Jon Simpson said armed officers and specialist search teams were involved in the hunt, urging Clifford to make contact with police and the public not to approach him.

He called it "a horrific incident involving what is currently believed to be a crossbow, but other weapons may also have been used".

Interior minister Yvette Cooper called the deaths "truly shocking" and said she was being kept updated about the inquiry.

One neighbour told reporters the victims were a friendly family.

"We would see them every day passing by and they would say good morning," she said. "It's really sad what's happened, very shocking."

There is no licence required to own a crossbow in the UK, but it is illegal to carry one in public without a reasonable excuse.

In March, a 47-year-old man was arrested after two people were injured in separate crossbow attacks in London's trendy Shoreditch area.

A crossbow, knives and other weapons were found during a search at the suspect's home, police said at the time.

In the most prominent crossbow incident, Jaswant Singh Chail was jailed last year after admitting to trying to kill the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2021 when he entered the grounds of Windsor Castle with a fully loaded crossbow.

(AFP)

UK police manhunt after three women killed in 'crossbow attack'