Police have launched a murder inquiry after a woman's body was found in her home in Warrenpoint, County Down.
The victim, who had just celebrated her 75th birthday, was found by her two sons in her bathroom in the Summer Hill area at about 2000 BST on Thursday.
The police said she had suffered head injuries and died in an "extremely violent attack".
A post mortem examination is to be carried out to establish the exact cause of death.
The woman, whose name has yet to be released, was last seen by her daughter-in-law at 1600 BST on Thursday.
Superintendent Alan McCrum said: "This is a terrible tragedy, which has hit at the very heart of the community.
"But we would ask people to remain calm and we wish to assure the community that we are deploying all necessary resources to this investigation."
Mr McCrum said police were carrying out house-to-house inquiries.
He said detectives particlularly want to talk to anyone who may have been in the Summer Hill area between 1600 BST and 2000 BST on Thursday.
A tent has been erected outside the house as police investigations continue.
Parish priest Canon John Kearney said there was a great sense of sorrow and shock at the murder.
"Here was the mother of a large family living here in Summer Hill which would be described as one of the areas of old Warrenpoint.
"She was certainly a very active lady and was very much known in the community and locality."
Police said it was a particularly brutal attack on a vulnerable woman.
An incident room has been set up to investigate the murder. A motive has not yet been established.
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