Driving into Southampton yesterday morning, The Avenue with all the trees covered in fresh snow, looked as beautiful as I have ever seen it in winter.

To have such natural beauty right into the city is really precious. I realised though that this beauty also masked the reality of a tough day for many people coping with more snow.

Another local area of beauty marred by a different reality was featured this week in the Echo as we try and resolve the horrific murder of Georgina Edmonds at Brambridge two years ago.

Her house on the River Itchen is in an area of great natural beauty and one I know well from regular walks along the river.

The impact of her death on family and friends was of course profound and must still be felt every day. Such an awful crime may only happen here once in 10, 20, or maybe 30 years but the impact affects almost everyone living in the area and for a long time. I know that at the local schools childhood fascination for the macabre hid a genuine fear for many which hasn't gone. I am sure we will catch her killer. We will certainly need help from people in the community to do that and let's hope this week's publicity might achieve that. But I am sure for many people who, like me, enjoy the walks in that area we will never pass that place without thinking about Georgina. Beauty sometimes hides something more ugly but, fortunately, is rarely beaten by it.