POLICE were last night continuing to question a man after a woman was found with serious head injuries at her home.

The 42-year-old man remained in custody after a murder inquiry was launched when the woman later died from her injuries.

A post-mortem examination was being carried out last night to establish an exact cause of death.

Officers were not ruling out that the injuries to the 43-year-old victim could have been the result of a tragic accident.

Ambulance crews were called to the woman’s New Milton home after reports that she had suffered serious head injuries. She was taken to Southampton General Hospi-tal, where she died six hours later.

Officers then arrested the 42-year-old man, thought to be the woman’s partner.

Police immediately sealed off the couple’s rented home in Cadhay Close. They also cordoned off part of an alleyway behind the property.

Det Insp Nick Heelan, heading the investigation, said: “It is too early to say whether this is a crime or a tragic accident.

“I’d like to reassure residents of New Milton that they should not fear for their personal safety as this appears to be very much an isolated incident.”

Scenes-of-crime officers dressed in white boiler suits spent yesterday examining the house.

Hampshire police said that relatives of the woman were being comforted by specially-trained police liaison officers.

The drama began unfolding on Monday afternoon, when an ambulance was called to the small cul-de-sac on the Chatsworth Park estate.

Yesterday neighbours spoke of their shock at the woman’s death and the subsequent arrest of her partner.

Mother-of-one Kerrie Hoole said: “What’s happened is quite shocking, especially in a quiet town like New Milton. This is a tiny close and you don’t expect anything like that to happen here.”

The pair, who are not thought to have had any children together, moved to Cadhay Close about two months ago.

A marked police car remained parked across the entrance to the couple’s drive and a uniformed officer stood guard at the entrance to the alleyway behind the house throughout yesterday.