Murdered woman's throat slashed

Marie Harding worked at Brighton and Hove Albion ticket office

A grandmother was murdered when her throat was slashed in an attack on a quiet footpath, police have said.

Marie Harding was walking home from her daughter's house in Southwick near Hove on Wednesday when she was murdered.

A dog walker found the 73-year-old's body on a footpath near Highdown Close at about 1620 BST.

Sussex Police said Mrs Harding, who was a part-time worker at Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club ticket office, had been stabbed once in the neck.

She was great fun and had a very positive outlook on life and was always smiling Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club

Mrs Harding's bag and purse were found near her body and police said they were still trying to determine if anything had been stolen.

Extra police patrols have been in place around the Highdown Close area of Southwick since the discovery of Mrs Harding's body.

At a press conference Det Ch Insp Adam Hibbert said: "Her husband is obviously devastated.

"A forensic search of the area is continuing, along with house to house inquiries."

A mobile police station has been set up near the murder scene

More than 50 police officers are hunting her killer - no weapon has yet been found.

Ch Supt Mark Streater said: "There is a steely determination from Sussex Police to find the persons responsible, and bring them to justice."

"It is extremely rare for a crime of this magnitude to occur in this area."

In a statement, the football club said Mrs Harding had been a turnstile operator at the Goldstone Ground for many years and since 1997 worked part time in the Queens Road ticket office.

'Always smiling'

"She had a great love for the club and worked extremely hard processing ticket applications," the statement said.

"She was great fun and had a very positive outlook on life and was always smiling."

The wooded path where she was found leads onto Highdown Close in a quiet residential area, and is used everyday by local children and walkers.

Anyone with any information about the murder is asked to call Sussex Police or Crimestoppers.

A mobile police station has been set up close to the scene of the murder.