MARTYN McLAUGHLIN and WILLIAM TINNING

Detectives last night said they were treating the death of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer as murder.

Police in Jamaica said the results of a post-mortem examination had shown the 58-year-old former England cricketer was strangled.

Mr Woolmer died on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel bedroom, less than 24 hours after Pakistan suffered a World Cup exit at the hands of Ireland.

At a press conference, deputy commissioner Mark Shields said there could be one or more people involved but added that there was no evidence of forced entry into his hotel room. He added: "It would take some force, because Bob was a large man, It would have taken some significant force to subdue him, but of course at this stage we do not know how many people were in the room at the time."

Mr Shields confirmed Woolmer had shown no signs of life when he was found in his hotel room, and said there had been no signs of a struggle. He said police were ruling nothing out and had "lots of lines of inquiry".

One media report earlier had said Mr Woolmer's death was accidental after he broke a bone in his throat while vomiting. It said he suffered the injury after falling against a toilet bowl.

But suggestions in another report that he was found with injuries consistent with being strangled were confirmed last night when police said a murder inquiry had been launched.

Police are known to have secured CCTV footage from the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, where his body was found.

His widow said she did not rule out the possibility of her husband having been murdered and rejected the notion of his committing suicide.

Gill Woolmer said of speculation that he could have been murdered: "I suppose there is always the possibility (of murder).

"Some of the cricketing fraternity, fans, are extremely volatile and passionate about the game and what happens in the game.

"It fills me with horror. I just can't believe that people could behave like that or that anyone would want to harm someone who has done such a great service to international cricket."

Mrs Woolmer said she had been given some indication of why police thought her husband's death was suspicious but did not reveal what it was.

Former England cricket captain David Gower said last night that news of the murder had been unexpected.

He said: "It's a huge shock. We were almost geared up for the police to say that their suspicions had been allayed, there wasn't going to be a murder inquiry."

Mr Gower said there would be "all sorts" of questions asked, but it would be a "dangerous thing" to be speculating on why Mr Woolmer was murdered.

Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf said Mr Woolmer would be posthumously granted the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, or Star of Excellence, in recognition of his contribution to sport.

Mr Woolmer was found unconscious by cleaning staff in the bathroom of his room.

Police had earlier refused to comment on claims there were marks on his neck or traces of poison in the room.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said Scotland Yard had not yet been asked for specific help but "stood by ready to assist" if asked.

Jamaica's deputy police commissioner Mark Shields, a former Scotland Yard officer, said last night: "We do not have any suspects. The Pakistan team are free to leave."

The death of Mr Woolmer, regarded as one of the best coaches in the world, has cast a pall on the Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean which lasts for seven weeks and culminates in the final on April 28.