First pics of mum, 44, stabbed to death eight minutes before midnight on New Year’s Eve
Man, 49, arrested on suspicion of murder after Melanie Clark was discovered at a home in Bromsgrove, Worcester, with knife injuries
THESE are the first pictures of a mum stabbed to death just minutes into the New Year while midnight fireworks exploded outside.
The woman, named locally as Melanie Clark, 44, was found with knife wounds after cops raced to her £200,000 home in Bromsgrove, Worcs, last night.
She was pronounced dead at the scene 12 minutes into the New Year, shortly before Mr Clark's two grown up sons Sheldon, 22, and Slade, 19, returned home from partying.
A man believed to be her businessman husband David - who turned 49 yesterday - was led away in his pyjama bottoms by officers.
He is thought to be in police custody.
Neighbours said her two sons Sheldon, 22, and Slade, 19, came home around an hour later and were given the crushing news.
Gareth Cole, 67, who lives three doors away, 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."
Another said: "I saw the lads coming back in a taxi...it looked like one of them was in tears.
"It's horrendous what happened."
A police spokesman 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."
Horrified neighbours said they heard a "loud bang" coming from the home minutes before emergency services arrived.
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One said: "There was this almighty bang, it was incredibly loud. Obviously there was noise from fireworks, but this was even louder.
"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."
Anyone with information should call 101 and quote incident 679s of 31 December 2017 or speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via ".
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