A mother murdered in her Wheatley home was described by her best friend as a "loving, caring person".

Debbie Smith, 47, had her throat cut at her home in Bell Lane on Monday afternoon. Passers-by saw her involved in a heated argument and raised the alarm.

A 49-year-old man, named locally as Russell Yeates, was also found with serious throat injuries and was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Tonight he remained in a stable condition.

No arrests have been made, but police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Forensic officers were expected to be at the scene for at least two days.

Tracie Lafford, a close friend of Mrs Smith and landlady of the Railway pub in the village, described Mrs Yeates - who married last July - as an "excellent mother" and a "lovely person".

She said: "I am absolutely devastated. She was very popular, no-one disliked her. She was a loving, caring person who would bend over backwards to help you. Everybody is just griefstricken."

Shellie Bark, of Howe Close, Wheatley, said: "I went out with her the night before she was killed and we had a lovely time. We were very close to her."

Mrs Smith, a housewife who used to work as a sales assistant in Debenhams in Oxford, had a horse which she kept in Denton.

She had lived in Wheatley for about three years, and was previously a resident of Cuddesdon and Abingdon and attended Segsbury School, Wantage.

Ex-husband Martin Smith, who is landlord of the Bat and Ball pub, Cuddesdon, was too upset to talk.

Neighbour John Rowe, 78, was at home at the time but did not realise what had happened until he saw police cordon off the area.

He said: "It is awful, terrible. No matter what the circumstances are and what caused it, it is something you don't imagine will happen in your normal locality."

Wheatley Parish Council chairman Janet Carr, of Crown Road, said: "I feel great concern and sadness. People are shocked that it has happened."

Det Insp Colin Seaton, who is leading the investigation, said Mrs Smith was found inside a house with wounds to her neck, and died shortly after reaching hospital. A post mortem result was due this morning.

"It is clearly a shocking incident, but I would like to assure residents it was a isolated incident," he said.

"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident, but I appeal for any other witnesses who saw what happened to come forward."

If you have any information call polce on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.