Man arrested on suspicion of murder in Bromsgrove

By Deputy Chief EditorJanuary 2, 2018

185 4 minutes read

Police were called to a residential street in Bromgrove shortly before midnight
A woman was found with a suspected knife injury and later died at the scene
Neighbours say her sons returned home from party and were told of her death
A 49-year-old man has been arrested and is being questioned by police

By Richard Spillett, Crime Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 04:10 EST, 1 January 2018 | Updated: 16:01 EST, 1 January 2018

Loved ones of a mother-of-two stabbed to death on New Year's Eve have described her as the 'funniest person you could ever meet' in heartfelt tributes.

Melanie Clark, 44, has been named locally as the victim of a knife attack at her home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire last night.

Police were called shortly before midnight and Ms Clark was declared dead at the scene at 12.12am.

Neighbours said her sons Sheldon, 22, and Slade, 19, came home around an hour later.

Melanie Clark, 44, has been named locally as the victim of a knife attack at her home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire last night

Police were called to this street in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire shortly before midnight

Floral tributes have been laid at the scene where the woman was pronounced dead at 12:12am

Becky Richards, 26, first met Ms Clark when they started working at a care home together seven years ago, shortly after the mum moved to the UK from South Africa.

Ms Richards, a nurse from Worcester, also revealed that Melanie had a daughter called Caitlin.

She said: 'From day one we just hit it off.

'She was a lovely person, so bright and bubbly. She'd light up the room. I don't know if it's because she's South African, but she just had such a fun demeanour about her and was so energetic all the time.

'If ever you were having a bad day, she would just lift you up.

'At times it could be quite tense in that job, but she would always lift that tension by cracking a joke and making you laugh. She was great in that sense.

'I remember her saying that her mum died when she was very young, and her dad still lived in South Africa.

'She was quirky and bold. On my 21st, she bought me a very embarrassing present, and made me open it in front of my parents. It was absolutely hilarious, everyone was on the floor laughing. That's the sort of person she was.

Forensics officers took items from the house today after police launched a murder probe

'I'm not sure whether or not David is from South Africa, but he certainly lived there for a very long time, and they must have married there before moving to the UK.

'The boys were very friendly as well. They both got jobs at the first opportunity, and learnt to drive very quickly, because they both loved cars.

'You have to give massive respect to her, because every time that you went into the house it was always so well organised.

'Everyone had their own little jobs and knew that they were doing. Whenever I went over there for dinner, it was always lovely, but everyone was in control and took responsibility. It was very sweet.

'She had two cats who she absolutely adored, they were like her babies, seeing as the children had grown up.

A woman died at the scene from suspected knife injuries and a man has been arrested

'David would keep himself to himself a bit more, but was very friendly.

'He would often be wearing a suit, and I think he was some sort of businessman, but I wasn't as close to him.'

Local resident Gareth Cole, 67, said: 'I was in bed at the time, there were a load of fireworks going off, and suddenly the flashes of light turned blue and there were a load of police cars outside the house.

'I saw the two boys coming back in a taxi at around 1am, it looked like they had been to a party and didn't know what had happened.

'They were led up the street by a policeman, and were only there for about 20 minutes before they were taken away.

'I saw someone being arrested afterwards, he was in very colourful pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt.'

Locals left flowers at the house today as neighbours told of their shock at the death

Another resident said: 'I saw the lads coming back in a taxi… it looked like one of them was in tears.

'It sounds like their mum has died, they were the only people that lived there, so it must have been her. It's horrendous, what's happened.'

Ms Clark is understood to have lived at the address with her husband, David.

Police forensics experts are scouring the £200,000 semi-detached property today as murder detectives question a 49-year-old man.

An open gas canister could be seen outside the three-bedroom home as police searched the house today.

Another neighbour said he heard a 'loud bang' coming from the house shortly before midnight.

The suspected knife attack happened in this residential street in Worcestershire last night

The 60-year-old resident said: 'Then there was this almighty bang, it was incredibly loud. Obviously there was noise from fireworks, but this was even louder.

'There were five police cars that came along with the ambulance shortly after midnight, it must have been only minutes later.

'Later on, I saw there was a gas canister in the garage, which had been opened, and the police later took it on to the pavement.'

The resident added: 'Somebody said that they saw a body bag being taken from the house, but I didn't see that myself.

'Sometime later someone was led out by police, wearing pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt.

'It looked like he had been dragged out of bed – he was wearing what you'd expect all middle-aged men to wear as they go to bed.'

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: 'A 49-year-old man from Bromsgrove has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman's body was discovered at a property on Cloverdale in Bromsgrove.

'Police were called to the property at 11.52pm on Sunday 31 December where they discovered a woman with what is believed to be a knife injury.

'The woman was declared dead at the scene at 12.12am by paramedics. The man was arrested at the scene.

'Next of kin has been informed and we are awaiting formal identification.'