Arrested over widow's murder

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of the murder of 85-year-old widow Pat Thompson.

The 33-year-old man, from the South Bank area of Teesside, was arrested earlier yesterday for an offence unrelated to the murder inquiry and was then re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

Mrs Thompson was found dead in the bedroom of her home in Emma Simpson Court at Hartburn, Stockton, on September 5 at 11.30 p.m.

The house had been set alight, then the doors locked by the killer in an attempt to cover his tracks, police said.

Officers leading the murder investigation revealed they were hunting a man who used Mrs Thompson's telephone to call a taxi shortly before firefighters arrived at the burning building.

When the taxi arrived at the house five minutes later, a man was waiting, carrying two suitcases. He put the cases in the boot of the taxi and told the driver he would be a couple of minutes, then returned to the bungalow, where police believe he was setting the fire.