THE murders of Tony and Bilquis Karim have stunned family and friends in the tight-knit Little Harwood community where they lived.

Next door neighbour and former Blackburn councillor Renee Greaves, 71, said: "I'm devastated. They were a lovely couple and have been very good to me since my husband died 12 months ago."

The last time the couple were seen by the family was around 8am on Friday when they left their home in Whalley Old Road, Little Harwood.

The community is rallying round the grieving family and a constant stream of visitors have been paying their respects during the weekend.

Next door neighbour Mohammed Bashir said: "I worked with Mr Karim about 25 years ago when we were bus drivers for Blackburn Corporation and Ribble Buses. "He was a very well respected, generous man and had built up a very successful business starting with nothing.

"He had taken his family on the Haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and had donated to the Masjid-e-Sajedeen Islamic Centre near his home.

"I shook when I heard what had happened to him and his wife, they were like family to me.

"The people who have done this are very bad. It's terrible and nobody can understand why it has happened." Nasir Mahmood, who runs the newsagents across the road, added: "Mr Karim came into my shop to buy milk as usual the day he died.

"Most nights he or his wife would pop in with their grandchildren to buy sweets. He always waved when I saw him setting off to work in his Landcruiser car. They had a very close knit family who were very committed to each other. I am very shocked and saddened by what has happened."

Murder squad detectives are looking at a string of armed robberies across the county including the one at the family's shop in Blackburn. They will also be examining links with a raid on Arthur Barrie's jewellers in Queen's Square, Rawtenstall during which axe-wielding raiders smashed down the shop door.

Mr and Mrs Karim, who moved to East Lancashire from Karachi more than 30 years ago, were well known in Little Harwood and their Preston shop was described as a well established business.

One of their daughters was due to fly home from Pakistan during the weekend.

"Yesterday officers were again interviewing members of the family in Blackburn and the brother identified their parents bodies at the Royal Preston Hospital. Acting Det Supt Mike Arnold said: "Clearly this has been an horrific experience for the family but they are bearing up well at the moment.

"We are doing all we can to help and support them in these tragic circumstances. They are distraught and still coming to terms with the tragedy."

When the bodies are released there is expected to be a funeral at Pleasington Cemetery where the family has a plot.

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