HORRIFIED residents have been stunned by the death of a “lovely” neighbour who was attacked outside her home.

Friends and neighbours say it is difficult for them to come to terms with the tragedy on their doorsteps, on a quiet housing estate in Driffield.

Today, tributes were paid to Linda Merigo, 40, who was described as a “really lovely, caring person” who thought the world of her two-year-old son.

She was named locally by friends and neighbours, who expressed horror that such a thing could happen in their close-knit community.

Police launched a murder inquiry after the social worker died at the scene of the assault in Clematis Close at about 5.30pm on Wednesday.

A 43-year-old man arrested at the scene was being questioned by police.

Mrs Merigo was from a well-known East Yorkshire farming family and had lived at the semi-detached cul-de-sac house with her son for only a few months.

Friend and neighbour Tessa Turton, 47, of Bracken Road, said: “I have known Linda for 20 years. She was a lovely lady who was always thinking of others.

“She was a really lovely, caring person, who thought the world of her son and also loved her job as a social worker.

“Linda was always sending me thank you notes for being a good friend – that was the wonderful kind of person she was.”

Café worker Mrs Turton said she was previously a hairdresser in Driffield and got to know Mrs Merigo, who was one of her customers. She said: “Over the years, we became very good friends, but Linda also had many other friends who will be shell-shocked by her death.

“There are lots of things going round in my head – lots of ‘what ifs’ and also ‘what onlys’.

“It is difficult to come to terms with losing such a lovely person and everybody will miss her.”

Mrs Merigo was Linda Bradley before she married in 2008 and was a member of the Bradley family, who farmed at Golden Hill Farm, Wansford, near Driffield, for many years.

She had previously lived in Hull, when her job as a social worker took her to the south bank, where she met her husband, Alfredo.

Neighbour Sandra Sellars, of Bracken Road, said: “She had lived with her little boy at the house in Clematis Close for about six months.

“She was always very pleasant to talk to and it is a terrible thing to happen in a quiet neighbourhood where there are a lot of elderly people. I really feel for the little boy.”

Another neighbour, Kenneth Harrison, of Bracken Road, said the area was swarming with police following Wednesday night’s incident.

He said: “We heard a youngster scream and thought that their dog had bitten him. We realised something serious had happened when the police and ambulance arrived. I’ve never seen so many police.” This is a quiet area with very little trouble, and this is something that we never expected would happen virtually on our doorstep.”

Police liaison officers are supporting Mrs Merigo’s family.