Man, 61, charged with murder after 'stabbed' woman dies following crash

A 61-year-old man from Bridgend has been charged with murder after a woman who had been stabbed died in hospital following a car crash.

Eleanor Barnfield, 47, a housing association worker, died in hospital after police were called to the crash in Coity Road, Bridgend. South Wales Police said she had "sustained puncture wounds unrelated to the collision".

Clifford Foster, 61, from Bridgend, has been charged with murder and is due to appear at Newport Magistrates' Court.

The Welsh Ambulance Service said medics were called to the crash at about 12:44 BST and a response unit arrived minutes later. The service denied rumours on social media that Barnfield had crashed her car while driving herself to hospital because of ambulance wait times, calling them "contradictory" and "factually untrue".

Foster was arrested on Tuesday at the Ger-y-Nant sheltered housing retirement complex, near the scene of the crash, after what police described as a "significant" police operation.

Senior Investigating Officer Claire Lamerton said her thoughts were with Barnfield's loved ones and that the case was "not being investigated as a domestic incident", urging the public not to speculate.

In a family tribute, Barnfield was described as the "kindest, most loving, bravest person in the world". She worked for the housing association Valleys to Coast, whose chief executive said she was a "much-valued member" of the team and that the organisation would cooperate fully with South Wales Police.