An Austrian man is being investigated after locking up his two daughters in a room for 41 years and repeatedly sexually abusing them in a case which matches countryman Josef Fritzl's in its depravity.

Police today confirmed the horrific details of the case in St Peter am Hart, near Brannau - Hitler's home town - close to the German border.

The two mentally ill women were both banned from contact with the outside world and were only allowed in one room of the large property.

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© Associated PressHorror scene: The house in St Peter am Hart, Brannau, Austria, where two sisters were subjected to a 41-year sex ordeal by their father
The extended isolation has left both women severely psychologically traumatised and both are now in care.

The man's wife, who died three years ago, apparently knew about the abuse but had been too scared to report the matter.

But the horror story came to light when the man, now 80, fell over and banged his head while trying to have sex with the older of the two women, who is aged 53. Her younger sister is 45.

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© Getty ImagesMonster: Josef Fritzl was jailed for life for the rape and false imprisonment of his daughter Elisabeth in Amstetten, Austria, over a 24-year period
He had apparently been immobile for two days before a social worker called to check up on him and discovered him lying on the floor.

Police believe that the women had been beaten and sexually abused since 1970 and forbidden all contact with the outside world.

Public prosecutors in Ried confirmed that both of the women were psychologically disturbed and were receiving medical attention.

The father has been released from hospital and allowed to go into a care home but was not remanded in custody because police believe there is no danger he will try to flee.

The case echoes that of fellow Austrian Josef Fritzl, who was jailed for life for the rape, incest, enslavement, and false imprisonment of his daughter Elisabeth over 24 years in Amstetten.

Fritzl had lured his daughter into a cellar he had prepared to keep her in and after locking her away pretended she had run away from home and joined a religious sect.

He fathered seven children with her, as well as one miscarriage, and was also found guilty of negligent homicide for not trying to save the little boy.

Natascha Kampusch, now 23, was also kidnapped and kept against her will by another Austrian, Wolfgang Priklopil, for more than eight years.

She managed to escape the cellar where she was being held in Vienna in 2006. Her kidnapper then killed himself.

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© UnknownPolice today confirmed the horrific details of the case in St Peter am Hart, near Brannau - Hitler's home town - close to the German border