A MURDER inquiry has been launched after a Basingstoke woman was found stabbed to death in a hostel.

Valerie Tallett, 38, was found dead on the stairwell of the 26-bed hostel in Sussex Street, Winchester at 11.45pm on Saturday.

Ms Tallett died from a single stab wound to the top of her leg, which punctured a main artery.

Ron and Sylvia Tallett, the parents of the former Basingstoke schoolgirl, who has worked for IT Cannon and town centre stores including Next and Monsoon, have been left devastated by her death.

Mr Tallett, from Morley Road, Cranbourne, told The Gazette Extra: "We are both totally shocked. She was a lovely girl, always bubbly and full of life.

"She never saw bad in anyone and always enjoyed a laugh and a joke."

Scenes of crime officers have scoured the murder site and door-to-door inquiries have been carried out to try and piece together what happened.

Forensic examinations of the part of the hostel where the incident took place were still being carried out on Tuesday.

A team of 20 officers from around the county are involved in the murder investigation the first to happen in Winchester for more than 20 years.

As The Gazette Extra went to press yesterday, a 30-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman, who both live at the hostel, were in custody.

The pair were being held at Winchester police station where they were being questioned by detectives.

Officers are appealing for anyone with information which could help the inquiry.

If you can help the investigation, contact Winchester CID on 0845 045 45 45.

Alternatively, call the Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111. All calls to this number are treated in the strictest confidence.