British grandmother murdered on holiday in Tunisia

A British grandmother has been murdered while on holiday in Tunisia.

Pauline Richardson's body was found in the resort of Port El Kantaoui after she was reported missing by her travel companions.

The 64-year-old widow had been beaten and strangled. Police said a Tunisian man had been arrested and is being questioned in connection with the attack.

It was unclear last night whether Mrs Richardson knew her killer.

Last night, her 45-year-old daughter, Beverley Sains, said: 'To be told she was killed is so hard to accept. We are totally numb.

'She was just so full of life and we are at a complete loss as to why this should have happened.'

Mrs Sains, from Bishop Auckland, County Durham, said she suspected something was wrong on Monday when one of her mother's two woman friends rang to say she had gone missing.

Her body was discovered 24 hours later in an unidentified location.

Mrs Sains said her mother had travelled to Tunisia often over the past two years, both with her friends and Mrs Sains's children, 22-year-old Richard and Natalie, aged ten.

'She just loved to travel,' she added. 'Wherever she went, she made friends. friendly and caring to everyone. She loved warm weather as it helped her arthritis

'She loved to shop and she loved holidays. She was an outgoing person who wanted to live life to the full and enjoy her family.'

Mrs Richardson was born in Bishop Auckland but spent a large part of her life in Gravesend, Kent.

After her husband Matthew's death in 1983 she returned to her hometown, dividing her time between there and a holiday home she had bought in Spain.

Last night, a spokesman for Durham Police said: 'A Tunisian man has been arrested in connection with her death.

'We are liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and providing support for her family.

'Mrs Richardson was a regular visitor to the country and had been on holiday with friends.'

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: 'We can confirm that the body of a British national was found on July 1 in Tunisia.

'The next of kin have been informed and we have offered consular assistance.'

Port El Kantaoui is a purpose-built holiday resort five miles north of Sousse.

It is popular with European tourists and has a marina, golf courses and beaches.