A 23-year-old woman from Great Yarmouth has been found murdered on a beach in Thailand.

Her body, along with that of a 24-year-old man from Jersey, were discovered early this morning on Koh Tao, a small island in the south of the country.

Local police chief Prachum Ruangthong said a bloodied hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found near the tourists’ bodies.

Mr Ruangthong said the woman had been chopped in the face while the man had been chopped in the back in a “gruesome” attack.

Investigators are looking for witnesses who may know if the pair went to a nearby late-night beach party, while local residents blockaded the island’s piers to prevent the killers from escaping.

The Foreign Office said: “We are aware of the death of two British nationals on September 15 on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.

“The embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and consular staff stand ready to provide assistance to friends and family at this tragic time.”

According to the Lonely Planet travel guides, Koh Tao welcomes thousands of visitors who “come to worship the turquoise waters offshore”. Its turquoise coral, sharks and rays bring in divers, hikers enjoy jungle walks and the bar scene “rages on until dawn”.

Tourism in Thailand has been badly affected by the country’s deep political crisis and the introduction of martial law.