AN ELDERLY woman was killed after several blows to the head, Hampshire Police have revealed.


Delia Hughes, 85, was found dead by her family in her waterfront home, in Ocean Village, on Saturday evening.


More officers have now been drafted in to help with the murder investigation as they step up their search for the murder weapon.


A post-mortem examination conducted yesterday revealed that Mrs Hughes, who lived in Atlantic Close, had suffered several blows to her head.


Teams of detectives supported by colleagues in forensics, scenes of crime and specialist search teams, have been working around the clock at the scene and neighbouring areas of Atlantic Close since her body was discovered.


Further searches of refuse bins, gardens, pathways and driveways, hedgerows and residents storage areas in the wider area around the address were conducted today.


Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder, a 37-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman.


Detective Superintendent Tony Harris said: “Although we have arrested two people who are assisting with our enquiries, I would like to reiterate that we are still very much in the preliminary stages of our investigation and our enquiries continue into what is a very rare and uncommon occurrence.


“It is therefore crucially important for anyone who has been in the area since last Thursday to contact us if they saw or heard anything that could be linked to the murder.”


Anyone with information should contact Southampton Central police station on 101 or the Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting Operation Anglian.