French woman, 34, and man, 40, are arrested after nanny's severely burnt body was found in the back garden of £1m south London home

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A 34-year-old French woman and a man, 40, have been arrested after a nanny's severely body was found in the garden of a £1m south-west London home.  

A neighbour said she smelled a 'weird barbecue' in the garden of the house on Wimbledon Park Road in Southfields, where a body was found this afternoon. 

The body was too badly burned to establish the gender and age and police said a post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

However, neighbours suggested the victim was a French nanny in her 20s.

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Emergency services were called to the scene around 6.30pm and a body was found in the back garden

The 40-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. They live with two children, according to neighbours.

Locals said they saw mother Sabrina Kouider being quizzed by detectives after fire crews tackled the garden blaze.

Both have been taken to separate south London police stations where they currently remain for questioning as officers access the garden of a home worth an estimated £900,000.

Mario Riccio, 68, of nearby Pulborough Road, said: 'I arrived home yesterday and saw firemen and ambulance. I have heard what has happened, it is terrible.

'I would often meet the nanny and children, she was French, she was in her 20s and had brown hair, she was pretty.

'We spoke a lot because I am Italian. I would see her in the park with the children.

'I think the mother of the children is North African, I haven't seen her as much as the nanny.'

Another local said: 'We are a very close knit community, I haven't seen that family before which makes me think that they are quite new to the area.

'It is terribly shocking, this is a very nice area, things like this don't happen.''

One woman, 29, said she was passing the street when she saw what she thought was a 'weird barbecue' taking place in a back yard.

She said: 'I was going home at about 5.20pm and I smelled this really weird smell. It was like a weird barbecue was going on.

'I could see this light smoke, it was pretty strange.'

The children who lived in the house where the body was found are being given 'comfort and reassurance' by their school.

Forensic officers removing the body from the property

The two young children are believed to attend Sheringdale Primary School.

A school spokesman said: 'This is an incredibly distressing incident that has come as a great shock to the whole school community.

'Our priority is of course the welfare of all our children and their families and we will be working now, with the support of the local authority, to provide comfort and reassurance to our pupils, their families and also our staff.

'The Sheringdale community is strong and caring and together we will support each other through this difficult time.'

One local man, who asked not to be named, said his daughter came home with a letter from school as a result of the police activity. 

Natalie Maple, who lives opposite the house, said: 'I don't know what has happened, I have given a statement to police but it is quite unsettling to see.

'It's not the sort of thing you would expect to hear about around here.'

Sunny Patel, who runs nearby newsagents Sunny News, said: 'I know the house is made up of a couple of flats, people come and go it is pretty transient.

'Everyone has been in talking about it, its worrying.' 

Other neighbours in the affluent area said they too were shocked to find a murder investigation unfolding on their door step.

A man who lives in the top floor flat of the converted Victorian end of terrace home were the body was found on Wednesday said that his flat mate had complained to the landlord about a 'gassy smell' on Tuesday.

A police cordon around the street has been put in place and inquiries are underway to identify the dead person

The incident happened at a property on Wimbledon Park Road in Wandsworth

He said: 'There was a bad smell on Tuesday and my flat mate complained, it was a bit like gas.

'The landlord came and had a look and went away and nothing happened.

'Then on Wednesday there is the fire and police, I heard most about what has happened since from the news.

'The couple who lived in the flat were not the friendliest pair, we would hear them having really loud arguments below.'

'I only saw the boyfriend once, I just passed him in the doorway.'

The house is divided into three flats with a modern extension at the back. The body was found in the garden of the extension.

The Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are leading the investigation working closely with police in Wandsworth

Tonight a woman came round to view the middle flat up to let and the man laughed pointing at the police cars and added: 'Don't be put off by this lot. There's been a murder.'

One grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, said she hadn't anything like it in her 10 years living there.

'It is a shock because you never see police around here, it is very quiet and friendly,' she said.

'I was leaving the have lunch with my son yesterday and when I got back I saw police. I asked what was going on but they told me they couldn't say.' 

One grandmother, who asked to remain anonymous, said she hadn't anything like it in her 10 years living there 

Another neighbour who lives opposite the home which is being searched said: 'I only moved in over the summer, as I was going out last night I spotted a police car there. It was around eight pm.'

The Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are leading the investigation working closely with police in Wandsworth.

DI Richard Leonard from the HMCC said: 'A badly burned body has been found in the rear garden of this residential address. We are doing everything we can to identify the deceased. 

'A post-mortem examination will establish how they died. Early indications are that attempts were made to dispose of the body.

'I would like to appeal to those in and around the area to come forward with information. 

'You may well have seen or heard something suspicious in the last few days which could assist our investigators.'

Superintendent Peter Gardner from Wandsworth said: 'I fully appreciate the concern that this investigation will cause in the local community. 

'Specialist investigators will be carrying out work at the scene whilst local neighbourhood officers will be patrolling in and around the area to help reassure residents and, where possible, respond to their concerns.' 

If you have information please call the Met's incident room on 0208 721 4843 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.