A 59-YEAR-OLD woman has been charged with murder following the death of a man at a flat in Frinton. Detectives last night charged Anne Stanmore, of Queen's Road, with the murder of Michael Bernhardt.

James Hore

A 59-YEAR-OLD woman has been charged with murder following the death of a man at a flat in Frinton.

Detectives last night charged Anne Stanmore, of Queen's Road, with the murder of Michael Bernhardt.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the property in Queen's Road at about 9.20pm on Thursday where they found Mr Bernhardt's body.

A post mortem carried out at Colchester General Hospital this weekend revealed the 61-year-old had been stabbed.

Stanmore is due to appear before magistrates in Chelmsford tomorrow.

Mr Bernhardt's next door neighbour, Sue Judd, said she only found out about the tragedy when she was out shopping.

She said: “I just knew him to say 'hello' to and he used to take my rubbish out for me and things like that.

“I have not lived here for long, but he was away a lot and I think he was a bit of a loner.”

Residents living near to Clandon House said there had been a lot of activity as the emergency services arrived.

A woman who lives in Clandon House said: “There was a lot of commotion. I could see everything going on out there.

“I had gone to bed at about 10pm or half past but the police were still there at 2am, I think there was an ambulance as well.

“I have only been here for about five months, but it is not the sort of thing you expect to happen here in Frinton.”

A pensioner who lives nearby, but did not want to be named, said: “There was a lot going on with a lot of police cars - I looked out because I thought it could have been a problem with our roof which has just been re-done.

“Everyone is so lovely along here, it is terrible when you come to think about it.

“Generally people keep themselves to themselves though and I did not know the gentleman.”