A man held by police in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 44-year-old woman remained too ill to be questioned today.

Police said a 46-year-old painter and decorator arrested in Eastbourne on Sunday was still in protective custody at an unnamed hospital.

A spokesman said: "He is still in hospital and we have not started questioning him.

"The normal rules about holding someone do not apply because he is too ill to talk. We are only restricted by time when we start questioning him.

"The investigation is continuing and many lines of inquiry are being followed up. As soon as the man in custody is discharged by the hospital we will begin questioning him."

The spokesman said the man would remain under arrest until he was fit to talk about the death of care home owner Kim Baldry, of Gorringe Road, Eastbourne.

Police would not release details about how the man came to be injured but confirmed he had been arrested at the murder victim's house and taken straight to hospital.

His condition was described as stable.

Last night Mrs Baldry's parents, David and Pamela Stevens of St John's Road, Polegate, were too upset to speak.

Mrs Baldry, who co-owned the Ennis House Rest Home in Enys Road, was found at her home with stab wounds late on Sunday evening.

She was declared dead at Eastbourne District General Hospital at 11pm.

She lived next door to her estranged husband Michael Baldry, who said: "She was a lady who lived for her children. She was very much family orientated."

The couple had four sons and one adopted daughter, all aged between 11 and 16.

The dead woman's mother-in-law, Dorothy Baldry, who also lives in Gorringe Road, said: "She was a great mother and a great partner to Michael and in the business.

"She liked embroidery and loved her kids and her home.

"She was a beautiful girl. People said she looked like Princess Diana, absolutely gorgeous."

Police have launched a murder investigation codenamed Operation Duxford and an incident room has been set up in Eastbourne.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Eastbourne CID on 0845 6070999.