Police have discovered a 77-year-old pensioner murdered in her home after finding her handbag 25 miles away in a city centre.

Officers investigating a possible case of lost property or theft found Judith Barbara Marion Richardson’s body in the hallway of her stone-built terraced house in St Wilfrid’s Road, on the edge of the bustling town centre in Hexham, Northumberland.

She had suffered a head injury and a white tent was placed at the front door of her home while officers investigated whether she was attacked there.

There was no sign of a break-in, Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Young said. Her handbag and some of its contents was found on Friday in Clayton Street, Newcastle.

Mr Young said: “I would suggest the fact the bag was found that the motive could be robbery or burglary.”

Miss Richardson, who never married and lived alone, was regularly seen in Hexham walking her dog. Police believed she may have been seen on Friday morning out with her pet.

The results of a post-mortem examination should be known later.

The detective reassured elderly people in the area that there will be a strong police presence. He added: “We are working tirelessly to establish the exact circumstances and find those responsible.”

Local people appeared shocked at the news, with one saying: “She was a lovely lady.”

Police were understood to be scouring through CCTV images of Hexham and Newcastle in a bid to catch those responsible.

source; AOL news