A British mother and her husband have been murdered by axe killers at their home in Zimbabwe.

Hilary and Ken Allanson had been missing from home since January 8, with police baffled by their disappearance.

Mrs Allanson's brother Ian Pollard, from Benton, in Newcastle, had hoped his sister was safe and well.

Hilary, 58, and her stamp-dealer husband Ken Allanson's maid told police the couple had left their luxury home with another white couple in a 4x4 vehicle.

But on Saturday Mr Pollard was told his sister and brother-in-law's bodies had been discovered.

The couple had been attacked with an axe then placed in their empty swimming pool and set alight, their bodies were found dumped nearby.

The Allansons' maid, her son and nephew have all been arrested in connection with the grisly double murder.

Mr Pollard, 55, an education psychologist, said: "At first I was told by the police that they were treating it as a missing persons case. A lot of the original investigation concentrated on trying to find these people in the 4x4.

"We checked whether another white couple were missing and I had a solicitor heading the investigation there."

Police set up a sting operation to catch the suspects and the maid and her two relatives were arrested.

Mr Pollard, who last saw his sister fours years ago, said: "I was very close to Hilary and I very much miss her and Ken. It was a brutal murder and we hope they did not suffer much.