A TEENAGE bride was stabbed to death in her bed just four days after she married.

The body of Claire Amy Cummings, 19, from Redcar, east Cleveland, was found when officers went to a house in High Row, Loftus, after receiving a desperate 999 call from a man who was threatening to kill himself.

Launching a murder inquiry yesterday, Detective Inspector Steve Richards, of Redcar CID, said officers found Ms Cummings lying on the bed in an upstairs bedroom, wearing pyjamas. She had suffered stab wounds to her chest. A blood stained knife was later found in the kitchen.

The man, from the east Cleveland area, was found at Hummersea cliffs, less than two miles away, threatening to throw himself to his death.

Det Insp Richards said police negotiators talked him away from the edge after three hours.

He was arrested and taken to Redcar police station and was interviewed at the station yesterday afternoon.

Last night, Claire's parents, Tina and Steve Cummings, spoke of the devastating loss of their daughter.

Mr Cummings said: "You never expect this to happen to your family. We loved Claire dearly, but while we saw Claire regularly - and last saw her on Thursday evening last week at a family party - we did not know she was to be married.

"Words cannot express our loss and we would simply like to be left in peace to grieve."

Ms Cummings and her husband, Stephen Butters, a father-of-seven, had been living at the Loftus house for a few months. It is understood she was a former babysitter for Mr Butters' children from an earlier marriage. The couple married in secret at Guisborough Register Office five days ago.

More than 30 officers are working on the murder inquiry, and Det Insp Richards said: "We are appealing for anyone who may have heard any type of disturbance in the house during the early hours of Tuesday, May 8, or anyone who feels they have information that may progress the inquiry.

"The family is devastated. This is a tragic incident for a young 19-year-old girl and they are inconsolable. They did not know she was married.

"Officers in the case would like to express their condolences to Claire's family."

Any witnesses are asked to call the incident room at Redcar police station on (01642) 302690.