A MAN was tonight in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in an Oxfordshire village 14 years ago.

Police investigating the killing of Vikki Thompson, of Ascott-under-Wychwood, in 1995, yesterday arrested a 34-year-old man after a dawn raid on a house just 200 metres from where she was discovered.

The 30-year-old mother-of-two was found barely conscious by her husband Jonathan, who led a search party three hours after she went to walk her dog and never returned on August 12, 1995.

She was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with severe head injuries, but died six days later.

The man was arrested at a house in Ascott-under-Wychwood at 6.30am yesterday and detectives immediately began searching inside the property.

During the afternoon police removed patio slabs and began digging in the back garden. Officers are expected to continue their search at the house today.

Husband Jonathan and her mother Margaret Simpson last night paid tribute to Mrs Thompson.

“Vikki was only 30 years old. She was a loving wife and mother to Matthew and Jennifer. She was much loved by all her family and friends and is desperately missed,” they said.

“Time has passed by now, but still we never forget the loss we suffered when Vikki was taken away.

“We are aware of the arrest by the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Review Team and support their work in trying to find who killed Vikki.”

The family added: “Vikki herself deserves the justice that has not yet been found.”

Stunned neighbours described seeing police go into the house before putting a man in the back of a police van 10 minutes later.

He was held overnight at a police station in Oxfordshire.

Louisa Cotterill, 32, a mother-of-three, said: “My first thought when I saw all the police in the street was this was something big.

“It was all done very quietly and professionally and must have been well-planned and executed because no one woke up.”

Alice Birnie, 82, said: “I saw the police outside and was really worried, I didn’t know what had happened. I thought ‘oh no, someone is in big trouble’.”

A mother-of-three, who asked not to be named, said: “You don’t expect to wake up to this here. It’s a quiet little village where nothing interesting ever happens.”

Mrs Thompson had a part-time job at The Lamb Inn, in Shipton-under-Wychwood.

A televised appeal featured on Crimewatch and a £20,000 reward was offered for information leading to a conviction.

Police would not comment on what prompted yesterday’s arrest but Det Supt Barry Halliday, of the major crime review team, said: “As with all unsolved murders, Thames Valley Police has given a commitment to Vikki's family that we would continue to investigate her murder.

“We were pleased to be able to tell them of this latest development.”

mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk