A 37-YEAR-OLD man is due in court today charged with the murder of his mother.

Carol Cooper, 66, was found dead at her flat in St Vincent Road, Clacton on Saturday by police officers after they forced their way into the property.

Her son Peter Dickson, a carpet fitter also from St Vincent Road, has been charged with her murder and is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court today.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police were contacted shortly before 7pm on Friday November 2 following concerns for the welfare of a woman inside a flat on St Vincent Road.

“Officers arrived and forced their way into the property where they found the body of 66-year-old Carol Cooper. She lived there.

“Peter Dickson was arrested at the flat and has been charged with one count of murder.”

Mrs Cooper was declared dead at the scene and the area surrounding her home was cordoned off of part of Saturday.

Dickson was detained in police custody prior to his appearance at court and questioned throughout Saturday.

Jeremy Ballam, Mrs Cooper’s brother, who lives in Blythburgh, said her death had hit the “whole family like a sledgehammer”.

He told BBC Essex: “Carol was an awesome sister and a dedicated mother who loved her children.

“She was a fun-loving lady with a such a cheeky sense of humour and always ready to have a laugh with the whole family.

“Carol’s radiant smile was always something we looked forward to seeing,” he said.

The constabulary spokesman said that a post mortem examination carried out on Saturday had failed to establish the precise cause of Mrs Cooper’s death.

Further investigations and tests will now be carried out.