DETECTIVES investigating the murder of a 33-year-old Burnley woman have urged anyone with information about her death to come forward.

Nicola Haworth was found dead at her home in Wilton Street with her nine-month-old daughter, who was unharmed, nearby.

MORE TOP STORIES:

A post mortem examination has established the cause of her death as asphyxiation.

Forensic investigations inside the property have been continuing all weekend and the property has been sealed off since Friday morning when her body was discovered.

Police said a 34-year-old man from the town has been arrested on suspicion of murder and detained under the Mental Health Act in a secure unit.

At the weekend Miss Haworth’s brother Robert described her as ‘a fantastic mummy, sister and auntie’. 

He said: “My sister was a beautiful woman who was a caring, loving, remarkable person.

“Life will never be the same for me or my beautiful niece.  “We will always remember you Nicola Joanne. You are now back with mum and dad and always know I loved you.” 

Police said the 34-year-old man had originally been arrested at 9am on Friday after behaving suspiciously on nearby Holmby Street while in possession of a knife.

He was re-arrested on suspicion of murder after officers visited Ms Haworth’s home in Wilton Street and found her dead.

It is understood the man and Miss Haworth were known to each other.

A police spokeswoman said: “At around 9.30am officers attended an address in Wilton Street to check on the safety of a woman. Inside the address they found the body of a 33-year-old woman who can now be identified as Nicola Haworth.

“She was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene. A post mortem examination established the cause of death as asphyxiation.

“Nicola’s daughter, a nine-month-old baby girl, was also found at the address unharmed and taken to a place of safety.

“The 34-year-old man from Burnley was subsequently rearrested on suspicion of murder. He has been detained under the Mental Health Act and remains in a secure unit.

“The investigation is ongoing and detectives are appealing to anyone with any information to come forward.”

DI Andy Cribbin, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “This is a tragic incident involving the death of a woman and we are in the very early stages of a murder inquiry.

“At this stage we believe it to be an isolated incident and currently have one man under arrest.

“Our enquiries remain on-going and I would urge anyone who may have any information that could assist with our investigation to contact us as soon as possible.”

Neighbours at the weekend said their thoughts were with Miss Haworth’s family.

Abbey Begum, 36, of Wilton Street, said: “You don’t expect things to happen like this, especially on your doorstep.

“The fact that she had a young child as well is just horrible.

“Someone was evicted from the house over the road as well which is now boarded up, and now this.

“It has made me feel very frightened and unnerved and I cannot imagine what the family are going through right now.”

Barbara Ponton, 70, also of Wilton Street, said: “Her and her partner seemed like a really nice couple, they were always together pushing the pram.

“I just can’t believe it, I only saw her the day before it happened.

“I was just going out of the door when I saw the police trying to get in, that’s the first thing I saw, it didn’t seem like there was any trouble before then.”

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting log 368 of July 22.

Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.