Police treat Guida Rufino and Anthony Roberts' deaths in Cross Road, Idle, as murder and suicide

Officers were alerted by a neighbour to a "domestic incident" at a house in Cross Road, at around 6.20pm yesterday.

The bodies of a man and a woman in their late 30s were discovered at the scene. Two knives have been recovered from the property.

Detectives have yet to establish the circumstances of the deaths, but confirmed they are treating them as a murder and suicide.

The couple have been named locally as Anthony Roberts and Guida Rufino. Their two-year-old daughter attends the nearby Wesley House private day nursery. 

BLOG: NEIGHBOURS' SHOCK AND TRIBUTES PAID TO IDLE COUPLE

Hayley Wright, manager of the nursery, said: "Mum said on Thursday ' I cannot wait for my daughter to start talking and to say 'I love you mummy.'''

She said staff were "really upset" and had never noticed anything untoward about the couple.

She said she rang the parents' mobile phones this morning after news of the incident broke.

"There was no answer," she said. "I cried and was in shock. I still do not believe it."

On the parents, Hayley said Guida, who was believed to be Portuguese, was "lovely" and "really chatty".

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She said dad Anthony was also really chatty and used to stay at the nursery talking to staff when he picked his daughter up.

Hayley added that Anthony was "really good" with his daughter.

She also said that there was never an inkling that anything was wrong in the couple's relationship, adding that Anthony was a teacher and Guida worked in occupational health.

"I offered to babysit for them if they ever wanted a date night," said Hayley, who added about nursery staff: "We feel shocked and devastated and in disbelief. Everyone burst out crying."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were called to an address in Cross Road in Idle at 6.23pm yesterday, after receiving a report of a domestic incident.

"Officers attended and found the body of a 38-year-old woman inside the property.

"She had suffered serious injuries to her neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A 37-year-old man was also found inside the house with serious injuries to his leg.

"He was also pronounced dead at the scene.

"Two knives were recovered from the property.

"Police are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with this incident, but are appealing for anyone who heard or saw any suspicious activity in the area at around 6pm yesterday to contact the Homicide and Major Enquiries Team on 101, or report anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."

Neighbours said they understood that a young girl lived at the property with the couple.

It is not thought they are seeking anybody else at this stage.

Police activity seems to be centred on a large stone-build house. A PCSO is standing guard at a gate leading to the house.

A police forensic vehicle is on the scene and a number of other police vehicles are present.

Councillor Dominic Fear (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley), said he was shocked by the news.

He said: “It’s a quiet and peaceful area with lots of families living there. A violent incident like this will have a profound impact on the community.

“It’s not an every day occurrence and it’s a real big shock to the area and the people that knew them.

“The most important thing is to establish the facts. We need to let the police do their job. If people have any information at all, they need to contact the police, even if it seems something small. It may fit a bigger picture.

“If there are issues that the Council needs to be involved with, or the community needs to be supported, that will be my role.”

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said they believed the man doted on the young girl as they could be heard playing in the garden in nice weather.

The girl was said to be fine and with a grandparent.

Another neighbour, Karen Gloster, 55,  said she heard "some bangs" but did not know what they were.

She added: "It is a very quiet street. I did not know them."

Alison Kelly, 41, said: "It is a quiet house. I used to see them cutting the hedges, but that's it."

She added: "It is shocking. It is a nice street and a nice area. I just cannot believe it."

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "I met the man when I took a present round for the baby and he seemed very pleasant.

"It is very heartbreaking.

"My parents would roll over in their graves. They would never believe something like this could happen."

One man said: "It is terrible. You would have to be in some despair to do that."

Another neighbour said: "I knew it was something serious. I saw guys in white suits.

"It was cordoned off most of the evening and it was only this morning it was cleared."

He added: "I feel pretty devastated. It is one of those 'not in my back yard' things. I cannot believe it."

A light is this morning on in one of the detached property's upstairs rooms, believed to be the bathroom, while police forensic teams work inside the house.