The grieving friend of a Filipino mother found dead in her home has offered to help raise funds to return her remains to her family.

The mother-of-one Charito Cruz, 37, was found with fatal head injuries in her home in Cambridge Road, Kingston, on Monday evening, September 26.

She worked as a carer at Galsworthy House home in Kingston Hill, and as a cleaner at people's homes.

Her brother Roberto, who lived in Kingston but recently moved to Australia, was returning to the UK, and her parents in the Philippines have been informed of her death.

Abigail Pickering, whose cousin married Mr Cruz, said on Wednesday the family would ask for help raising money to fly her body home.

Jason Porter, who knew Miss Cruz for about two years after she started cleaning his family’s house in Leatherhead, has come forward to help raise the funds.

Paying tribute to Miss Cruz, he said: “Che was quiet but she was so fun.

"I’m quite young, I’m 20, and I would drive her to the bus stop.

"All she wanted to do when she was in the car was relive her youth.

"I went travelling in Asia and she has not gone back for a while, so she was interested in that, and how society is different here.

"She was always so nice and so well meaning, and I would never have guessed this could happen."

Her partner Muhammed Asad Niaz appeared at the Old Bailey this morning charged with murdering her on Monday evening.