A MURDER hunt has been launched by Strathclyde Police after the body of a 21-year-old mother, who worked as a prostitute, was found in her Glasgow home.

She is the sixth prostitute to be murdered in six years in Glasgow, but police sources last night ruled out any link between this and the other five murders which, despite intensive investigations, have remained unsolved.

Tracy Wylde's body was discovered by friends visiting her flat in Torryburn Road, in the Barmulloch area of the city, on Monday night.

Sources say they believe the only thread which binds the women's murders is the dangers all prostitutes face from predatory male clients.

Ms Wylde was last seen in the early hours of Monday morning getting out of a dark blue Ford Escort car and walking towards her home with a smartly dressed man. It is believed that the victim's two-year-old child had spent the previous few days being looked after by her father, who split from Ms Wylde some time ago.

A team of forensic experts yesterday searched Ms Wylde's flat for evidence. Detective Superintendent Val Grzybek, leading the murder inquiry, refused to comment on whether she was a prostitute, although he did confirm it was a line of inquiry they were pursuing.

He said: ''We are currently trying to establish her background. We are dealing with the death of a 21-year-old mother and it is imperative that we don't lose sight of that. Tracy died under very tragic circumstances and it is a sad, sad case. Her two-year-old daughter is now without a mother and we must do everything we can to bring the case to a successful conclusion.''

The man Ms Wylde was last seen with at around 2am on Monday is described as being around 25-30 years old, 5ft 9ins tall and of medium build. He had short, light brown hair and was clean shaven and smartly dressed in dark clothing.

Dr Marina Barnard of Glasgow University, who is the co-author of a book on prostitutes and their clients called Sex Work on the Streets, said last night: ''By its very nature, prostitution is very dangerous. In the space of time we were doing our research three or four woman were murdered. But this is just the extreme end of the continuing violence these women face in their work.

''It is very difficult to know why men do this. But there are men out there whose intentions you don't know and who want to commit violent acts against prostitutes. This is also, I believe, exacerbated by the current legislation.''

As news spread of the murder around the Barmulloch estate, Ms Wylde's neighbours spoke of a ''quiet and polite young girl'' who lived for her daughter.

One woman, who moved to Torryburn Road earlier this year, said she often saw Ms Wylde, who celebrated her 21st birthday last month, return home in the early hours of the morning with different men.

She said: ''I don't know whether she was a prostitute but there are so many of them around here that you just never know who you are living beside. I saw her sometimes as late as 4am coming back to her flat with young men.

''She seemed a nice girl, a bit quiet, and she never looked very well. Her wee girl was a pretty little thing but I didn't see her often.''

Yesterday other neighbours put bouquets of flowers at the foot of the stairwell leading to the dead women's flat. One of the cards attached to half a dozen red roses said: ''Our thoughts are with you.''

Strathclyde Police already have five unsolved prostitute murders on their files dating back to October 1991, when the body of Diane McInally, 23, was found in Pollok Park behind the Burrell Gallery.

Two years later, in April 1993, Karen McGregor, 26, was found in bushes near the SECC. She had 93 injuries and had been strangled.

In 1995, 22-year-old Leona McGovern was found in the grounds of Strathclyde Arts Centre. Police said ''appalling violence'' had been used.

Later that year Marjorie Roberts, 31, was found drowned in the River Clyde near Jamaica Bridge in Glasgow city centre.

Then in June 1996, Jacqueline Gallagher's body was found partly wrapped in a curtain and dumped in a lay-by near Bowling, Dunbartonshire.

Police at the time said she had been the victim of a ''brutal and violent attack''. As yet, her killer - like those of the other women - remains at large.