Murder probe over missing Briton

A MISSING British woman is feared to have been murdered in her home village in the Aveyron, Midi-Pyrénées.

Police found blood stains in the old restored country house where Patricia Wilson, 58, lived in Vabre-Tizac – and they have now been identified as hers.

Blood was also found in the car of the main suspect – her gardener, with whom locals say she had a stormy relationship. Mrs Wilson had been living alone since divorcing from her husband a year ago.

The man, aged 50, has been questioned and is in police custody on suspicion of murdering her, which he denies. No body has been found.

Tests should shortly show whether the blood in the car was also that of Mrs Wilson, who was reported missing on Tuesday last week.

It was a neighbour who gave the alert, worried at the fact she was not at home despite her car being in the drive and her shutters open.

The enquiry quickly focused on the gardener after several witnesses in the village, where Mrs Wilson had lived for five years, referred to her having a relationship with him, which is said to have finished badly.

She was said to have gone back to the UK to visit her mother, before returning to the village.

Villagers said she loved Vabre-Tizac and was well-liked by locals.

Photo: Screen shot from France 3