A murder probe has started after a married mother was stabbed to death in the garden of her new home.

The 30-year-old mum-of-two was found dying outside the semi-detached house where she had only lived for a few weeks.

One horrified witness told how she saw a man standing over the screaming victim and repeatedly stabbing her in the neck with a knife as she tried to evade the blows.

Police and paramedics rushed to the address, in Ure Crescent, White Abbey, Bradford.

They found the woman lying on the ground close to the house which is owned by Bradford Community Housing Trust. She was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary but died a short time later.

A woman neighbour, who lives opposite the property, told how she had been watching TV when she heard a woman screaming.

The neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "I heard these awful loud screams from over the road. They were terrifying.

"I looked out of my bedroom window and saw a lady laid on the ground in the garden. There was a man standing over her. I saw something in the man's hand. It looked like a knife and the blade was shining in the light.

"He was stabbing her repeatedly in the back of the neck. She was still screaming and trying to turn away from the blows.

"I picked up the phone and dialled 999. The police and an ambulance were there very quickly. They put the lady in the ambulance. I could see blood on the stretcher. People were on the street screaming.

"I saw about four police officers run off across the grass. They came back soon after with a man. They were physically restraining him and then put him in a police vehicle."

The witness added: "It was awful to see something like this happen. I am still shocked about it and can still hear her screams in my ears."

She said the woman had only been living at that address for a few weeks and on one occasion she had seen her with two young children.

"I had seen her once at the bus stop and had a brief conversation with her but that was the only time I spoke to her. I had never seen the man."

The scene remained sealed off with blue and white police tape yesterday and was being guarded by two Police Community Support Officers.

The investigation is being led by Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan, of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.

The dead woman has not been named but is understood to be an immigrant refugee from Ethiopia, who was married with two children, aged six and three.

A friend of the family said: "It is a terrible shock. It is very sad and a terrible tragedy, particularly for the children."

* A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident. He remained in police custody last night.