Sadie Hartley: Sarah Williams charged with murdering businesswoman in her Lancashire home

Ms Hartley was found dead in her home with multiple stab wounds on Thursday evening

Businesswoman Sadie Hartley’s body was discovered in January in the hallway of her house in Helmshore, Lancashire (PA)

A woman has been charged with the murder of a 60-year-old businesswoman, while detectives continue to question a second female suspect.

Sarah Williams of Blacon, Chester, is accused of killing Sadie Hartley, who was found stabbed to death at her home in Sunny Bank Road, Helmshore, Lancashire, on Friday evening.

The 34-year-old is due to appear at Blackburn Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

A post-mortem examination showed Ms Hartley died from multiple stab wounds, according to Lancashire Police.

A spokesman said: "Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service we have today charged a woman with the murder of Sadie Hartley in Helmshore.

"Sarah Williams, 34, of Treborth Road, Blacon, Chester, is due to appear before Blackburn Magistrates' Court today charged with murder.

Sadie Hartley, 60, a keen horsewoman, was found stabbed to death at her home in Lancashire

"A 55-year-old woman from Chester arrested on Monday, January 18th, on suspicion of murder remains in custody."

A director of her own medical communications business, Hartley Taylor, based in Knutsford, Cheshire, the victim was last seen alive on Thursday at a conference in Manchester with a colleague.

She was last in contact with a friend and work colleague at around 7.30pm on Thursday evening, then stopped answering emails, which was unusual.

Police believe she was killed sometime on Thursday evening.

Officers are continuing their appeal to identify a person seen passing a man as he walked out of Sunny Bank Road on Thursday evening and an unknown person who walked into the cul-de-sac, leaving a few minutes later.

They also want to trace the driver of an old style Renault Clio car which was seen arriving in Sunny Bank Road just before 8pm on the same night, and drove off moments later.

PA