A man has been charged with murder and attempted murder after being arrested at Pines Road in Chelmsford in the early hours of yesterday.

Officers were contacted at 1.30am yesterday with reports of a man being assaulted inside a house in Pines Road.

Units attended to find a woman had died and a man, in his 50s, with serious life-threatening injuries.

The injured man is currently at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

Craig Bird, aged 31, of no fixed abode, has today been charged with the murder of the woman, who yet to be formally identified but is believed to be Colleen Westlake, aged 48, and also the attempted murder of a 59-year-old man.

He has been remanded in custody to appear before Chelmsford Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.