A MERSEA couple have been found dead at their home, with police describing their deaths as unexplained.

Stephen and Carol Baxter were found by a family member in their West Mersea home on Sunday, and emergency services were called immediately.

Mr Baxter and Mrs Baxter were joint directors of a bath and shower mat business called Cazsplash, which specialised in selling luxury shower mats for corner showers.

Mrs Baxter, 64, had run the business since 2012, having also worked in adult education.

Gazette:

Prior to that, she had studied at Greenwich University and worked in Bexley.

Mr Baxter, 61, worked for a real estate firm.

The couple had two children together, a son and a daughter.

But the sudden death of Mr and Mrs Baxter, who were both members of West Mersea Yacht Club, came as a shock to members of the community.

John Akker, a resident in Mersea, said: “It’s very sad news and a shock to the locals in West Mersea.”

The yacht club also flew its flag at half mast as a mark of respect.

An official statement from Essex Police said the deaths of Mr Baxter and Mrs Baxter are not being treated as suspicious.

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In a statement given to the Gazette, a spokesman said: "We were called by colleagues in the ambulance service to concerns for the welfare of two people at a home in Victory Road, West Mersea on Sunday 9 April, at about 1.30pm.

"Officers arrived and, sadly, found two people aged in their 60s had died.”

The spokesman added the exact cause of the deaths is still unknown.

He said: “Their deaths are being treated as unexpected but not suspicious.

“Officers are working on behalf of the coroner to establish the circumstances which led to the deaths.”

A post-mortem examination is now due to be carried out and a full inquest will be held at a later date.