Police arrest man on suspicion of beating 85-year-old woman to death
Rosina Coleman found dead by handyman following 'horrendous' attack
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A 65-year-old man has been arrested over the murder of an elderly woman found bludgeoned to death in her Essex home, police said.
The pensioner, named as Rosina Coleman, was found by a handyman at her home of about 50 years in Romford following the "horrendous" attack.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head and neck, Scotland Yard said. Her next of kin have been informed.
A Metropolitan Police statement said: "A 65-year-old man was arrested at an address in Romford on Friday, 18 May on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody at an east London police station."
Ms Coleman, a former seamstress, was a mother of two who had lived on the road with her husband Bill, who died about 11 years ago, neighbours said.
"Whilst we have made an arrest today, the investigation into Rosina's murder remains ongoing and I continue to appeal for witnesses," detective inspector Paul Considine, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said.
"Were you in Ashmour Gardens on Tuesday 15 May? Every fragment of information is beneficial to our investigation and it is imperative that we gather as much evidence as we can against the person responsible for this horrendous offence."
Additional reporting by PA.