A WOMAN kidnapped in Kenya in a raid that left her husband dead is a social worker at a psychiatric hospital near Royston.

Judith Tebbutt, of Bishop Stortford, is a Kneesworth House employee and was on holiday with her husband David at the remote Kiwayu Safari Village - near the Somalia border - when the attack took just after midnight on Saturday night.

Mr Tebbutt was shot once in the chest as he tried to fight off the attackers and Kenyan police have arrested a man in connection with the murder.

A spokesman for the Bassingbourn hospital said Mrs Tebbutt is a dedicated member of staff and has been employed at the hospital for seven years.

“Jude Tebbutt is a member of the Social Work Team working at our Partnerships in Care Kneesworth House Hospital,” a spokesman said.

“Jude has been with the company for seven years and is a dedicated team member known to many of the patients and staff at the Hospital.

“Our thoughts are with Jude and her family at this time and we are hoping to shortly hear of her safe return”.

Kenyan military and police have been drafted in for the search for Mrs Tebbutt with helicopter gunships, spotter planes and speed boats all being used.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the raid, nor have there been any reports of ransom demands.

The beach resort, is only 30 miles from the southern Somalian border which is controlled by the al-Qa’ida linked al-Shabaab group.

Militants are currently waging a war against the country - which is led by a Western-backed government.

The Tebbutts, who had been married for 26 years, were the only guests at the resort’s 18 cottages and officials believe the raiders struck after arriving by boat.