A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman in her 50s was found dead.

Police and ambulance crews were called to a house in Oast View Terrace, off Mierscourt Road, Rainham, at 8.32pm on Thursday and discovered the woman's body.

KMTV reports on the death

A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of murder shortly after in Rainham High Street and currently remains in custody.

Police said the man and the victim were known to each other.

An investigation to establish the circumstances of the incident has been launched by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate and officers currently remain at the scene while inquiries are ongoing.

Paramedics were also called to the area at around 8.50pm.

Ambulance spokesman Rich Airey said: "We were called to Rainham High Street at 8.50pm, to outside Jack's Fish Bar.

"We responded to a report of a man with an abdomen injury.

"We had an ambulance and two cars at the scene.

"His injuries were not life-threatening."

Jas Shergill, manager of Jack's Fish Bar, said: "It was about 9 and we were just closing. I looked outside and saw three police cars and two ambulances turn up."

The air ambulance also landed in a field in Solomons Road to aid paramedics at Oast View Terrace.

Manager of the United Services Club, in Rainham High Street, Jamie Mackie went to his workplace.

The working men's club looks onto the scene of the crime.

The 22-year-old, who has always lived in Rainham, said: "I had a call from my members of staff at about 9pm saying there were loads of police sirens opposite my work.

"I ended up coming in and finding out there was blood on the lampposts outside.

"I think there were two covered in blood.

"I walked down, I think there were four police cars and about five ambulances all around the bottom of Mierscourt bus stop and outside United Services Club.

"It's a bit nerve-wracking, I've never seen anything like this around Rainham before."

The club has given its CCTV to police to review for evidence.

Police remain at the scene of the terrace house, which is still taped off while they carry out inquiries.

A window of the house is smashed.

Neighbour Rachael Jones, a 27-year-old mum-of-two, said this morning: "I only moved in a couple of months ago. It's a nice road. All I know is a woman lived there."

Peter Gardiner, 65, who has lived in Mierscourt Road for 30 years, said: "I've never seen anything like it, all of a sudden at about 8.30pm, I could hear sirens.

"During the night there were four to five ambulances, a critical care car and four police cars. And then forensics arrived and they were here from 4am-5am."

Deborah Weekes, 53, who lives in nearby Solomons Road, said: "I saw the air ambulance land in the field opposite. I then saw paramedics running off with their bags.

"Some said they went towards Scott Avenue. It's all very sad."

Manager of nearby Dreams hair and beauty salon, Nikki Cooper said: "It's a really nice friendly area, everyone knows everyone

"I didn't know them personally its such a tragic thing everyone gets on in Rainham.

"It is such a shock because you don't really expect these things to happen, especially on your doorstep as well."

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