The man suspected of brutally murdering a young woman in the front garden of her home was her husband, police revealed today.

Nusrat Ali married the 29-year-old in a ceremony in Pakistan but the couple never lived together in the UK as man and wife.

He came to Britain about 18 months ago and moved in next door to his wife and her family.

Miss Ali, 25, was the victim of a frenzied attack in the garden of her home in Lothian Road, Middlesbrough, as she left for work yesterday morning.

The call centre worker was repeatedly stabbed and died in hospital a short time later following emergency surgery.

Her husband, who has not been named, was found hanging in the hallway of his home by police shortly after the incident.

He was taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where he is in a critical condition.

Police said they had recovered a large kitchen knife from the scene, which was thought to have been used in the attack.

Officers were called to the house close to the town centre to reports of a fight and screaming shortly before 9am.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: ''The man suspected of killing Nusrat Ali outside her home is 29 years old.

''Police officers found him hanging in a hallway of a property of Lothian Road shortly after the incident.

''They cut him down and gave him emergency first aid to revive him before paramedics arrived and took over.

''He came to Britain about 18 months ago and worked in a local warehouse.

''He and Nusrat had gone through a wedding ceremony in Pakistan but never had lived together as man and wife.''

Today, Miss Ali's family said they had been left devastated by her death.

''Nusrat was a happy, bubbly, friendly young woman who had a kind word and a smile for everyone,'' the family said in a statement issued by police.

''This attack has not only taken her life but devastated her family and friends.

''Many are finding it extremely hard to come to terms with what happened and the horror of it all will stay with them.''

Miss Ali, who worked at a call centre in the town, lived with her mother and five sisters. Her father died 13 years ago.

She was a former student at the University of Teesside but did not graduate.