NEIGHBOURS yesterday paid tribute to a woman found dead in her North East home.

A murder probe is under way after her body was found at the house in Wallridge Drive, Holywell, Northumberland, at noon on Monday.

Police forced their way into the house after information received at the scene of a car crash in North Tyneside led them to the Holywell address.

The car had crashed into a lamppost on Bertram Place in Shiremoor less than an hour earlier. Investigations into the accident and items found in the vehicle led officers to Holywell.

Police last night said their inquiries were ongoing, although a 32-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The man was released on bail last night while the 57-year-old woman, who was the occupant of the car which crashed on Monday, remains in hospital in a stable condition. A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday afternoon as residents in Holywell paid tribute to their neighbour and spoke of their sadness at the turn of events.

A bunch of flowers was left outside the house with the words “Sadly missed” written on an accompanying card. Charles Todd, 83, who has lived in Wallridge Drive for 44 years, said: “It is just very sad and a great pity. I just saw her come and go, she would pass when I was cutting the grass or the hedges.”

Sydney Henderson, who has also lived in the street more than 40 years, said: “It is all very sad, I don’t know when it happened, we didn’t hear anything, we just saw the cars in the morning.

“The police have been here all night. It is terrible what has happened to her.”