Britain's Got Talent finalist stabbed to death in London

Simonne Samantha Kerr appeared on talent show with B Positive Choir to encourage blood donations

A man has been charged with murdering a nurse who performed on Britain's Got Talent in an NHS choir.

Desmond Sylva, 40, was charged on Thursday over the death of 31-year-old Simonne Samantha Kerr who was found with a knife wound in her home in Battersea, southwest London, Scotland Yard said.

The nurse at Guy's Hospital, near London Bridge, appeared on the talent show with the B Positive Choir to encourage blood donations after her young son died from complications of sickle cell disease.

Simonne Kerr, 31, a nurse who performed on Britain's Got Talent as part of an NHS choir with her son, who died from complications of sickle cell disease (PA)

At the time, the haematology and oncology nurse told how the performances gave her strength after losing her son, Kavele, to the a blood disorder.

Ms Kerr, who carried the disease but was not affected, lost Kavele in 2015 at the age of six and joined the choir to raise awareness of the importance of blood donors, the NHS said at the time.

She qualified as a nurse in January and joined the hospital the following month.

Sylva, who lived in the same address in Grayshott Road, will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Friday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Officers said Ms Kerr, whose death sparked the 90th homicide investigation in the capital this year, was living in the flat but was originally from Wembley, northwest London.

Police were called shortly before 12.40pm on Wednesday to the Victorian terrace but she was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics.

Vickie Foot, a 43-year-old who lives nearby, described the killing as "absolutely shocking" and said she saw the arrest.

Police reassured residents, telling them: "It's not gang-related."

Scotland Yard said detectives are not looking for any other suspects.

The woman's next-of-kin have been informed and a post-mortem examination was due to take place on Thursday.

PA