The three, all from Devon, were: Jamie Hague, 19, from Cullompton; Shaun Shephard, 17, from Upton Pyne near Exeter; and Anne Harris, 29, from Tiverton.

Their bodies were recovered from the foot of Salcombe Hill cliffs at Sidmouth, east Devon, last Wednesday.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said inquiries were still continuing into the deaths, though no-one else was being sought.

Hospital contacted police

The three were all informal psychiatric patients at Wonford House hospital in Exeter.

Staff at the unit contacted police at 1630 BST on 12 June, to tell them of their concerns about the three patients.

At 1900 BST a local officer checking cliffs at Salcombe Hill, 14 miles from Exeter, saw three people on top of the cliff on the far side of a chain link fence.

They fell to their deaths minutes later.

Inquest to open

Wonford House, an acute inpatient unit, is run by the Devon Partnership NHS Trust, which provides mental health services across much of Devon.

The trust has launched a review of the deaths and will report its findings to the trust board.

As a Devon and Cornwall police officer was near the scene when the group fell, the force referred the matter to the independent Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

The PCA will oversee an internal police investigation.

The coroner for Exeter and Devon will open an inquest on Tuesday.