Shock and horror were expressed in Pewsey today at the death of popular mother three Eunice Balcombe.
Neighbours spoke of the friendly chatty 40 year old who was found strangled at her Stratton Road home yesterday.
Police investigating Mrs Balcombe's death arrested her husband Peter, 46.
The couple's three children were at school when police went to the family home and found Mrs Balcombe dead at about 12.30pm.
Friends provided the children with temporary homes.
The family had been preparing for Christmas and there were lights erected on the outside of the ex-council house and a holly wreath on the door.
Neighbours looked on in amazement as police officers led Mr Balcombe away for questioning at Salisbury police station.
He is a painter-decorator and his sign-written van remained in the drive by the family's people carrier.
Children on their way home from school gathered outside the taped-off area in front of the house to watch as white-suited crime scenes investigators moved into the house.
The body remained in the house until the evening when a Home Office pathologist carried out an on the spot investigation.
People living nearby said the Balcombes had lived in Stratton Road for years and were part of a well known and respected Pewsey family.
Police confirmed that Mrs Balcombe had called them the evening before the discovery of her body and that officers attended the house.
The police, in response to questions from the Gazette, said: "We can confirm that last evening the wife went to stay with neighbours and reported this to the police.
"She indicated that she may contact us again this morning."
Mrs Balcombe did spend the night with next-door neighbours but did not contact the police on Friday morning.
Because the police had spoken with Mrs Balcombe so recently before her e death the incident has had to be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Police said this was a standard practice given the circumstances of Mrs Balcombe's death.
One neighbour who said she had known the couple since their first child was born said: "This is an awful tragedy for those three sweet children to lose their mother just three days before Christmas.
Today Mr Balcombe remained in custody at Salisbury.
Friends and neighbours of Mrs Balcome have been leaving tributes on the Gazette's website.
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