THE new owner of the house where a woman was murdered says she hopes to give birth to her third child there next year.

Louise Bloomfield and her husband, Andrew, moved into Aeolian House, Morton Palms in Darlington, almost two years ago.

The imposing detached home was where housewife Ann Heron was murdered in August 1990. Her killer has never been caught.

Her husband, Peter, who found her body, sold the house to the Bloomfields and moved to Scotland last year.

They paid the asking price for the house, which they thought would be perfect for their new cattery, kennel and pet crematorium business. Now the Bloomfields' unusual home is being filmed for a Channel Four documentary about people who live in houses where murders have been committed.

In the documentary, Mrs Bloomfield, 39, revealed that she hoped to give birth to her second son in the house early next year.

Speaking to The Northern Echo she said: "If there are no problems I want to have a home birth.

"Giving birth here will hopefully get rid of any connotations between this house and Ann's murder.

"I think people are already beginning to see Aeolian House as our home and business, rather than as a bad place.

"We would not have bought this house if we had felt spooked by what happened.

"I do believe in life after death and I believe Ann would be happy with what we are planning for the house, and the fact that a child will be born here."

The Bloomfields have two children - Louis, three, and Eveie, one - and they have named their unborn son Jack.

Mrs Bloomfield believes Ann's spirit remains in the property, but she has never been frightened to be in the house where the murder was committed 11 years ago.

She said: "I get the feeling that someone is watching over us and smiling because we are a very happy family.

"I do like to think about her a lot and hope she is happy now."

Unfortunately, not everyone has the Bloomfields' cheerful view on the house and its history.

Mrs Bloomfield said: "People, especially women, say they could not bear to be alone in the house and if we go out we have problems getting a babysitter, but it is ridiculous.

"What happened here has nothing to do with the house and it is not as though the same thing will happen again.

"This is our family home and we love it here."