THE mother of a woman allegedly killed by her husband told a murder trial jury of her shock when she was told the couple were splitting up.

Judith Bollen told Worcester Crown Court her daughter, Louise Evans, had been a childhood sweetheart of husband Alan and they had three children during their 12-year marriage.

Mrs Bollen said she had received news by telephone of her daughter's unhappiness.

"It came out of the blue. She was crying and said she wanted to come home and bring her three children," she said.

Her daughter, 32-year-old Louise, suspected her husband was having an affair with Amanda Chadwick, a classroom assistant at their children's school.

Evans, a 35-year-old welder, has been accused of murder after his wife was found at the foot of the stairs at their home in Stoney Lane, Kidderminster, in July last year.

Prosecutor, Jonas Hankin QC, alleges that she was attacked before she was pushed down the stairs. Because of an eye infection, his role was taken over by counsel Paul Whitfield.

Mr Hankin sat in court wearing an eye patch and apologised to the jury for this "theatrical" appearance.

Mrs Bollen said Evans, who has pleaded not guilty, was treated like a son after he courted and married her daughter.

Because Louise had difficulty in having children, her parents paid more than £10,000 for her to have IVF treatment. This resulted in twins followed by a third daughter.

Louise was booking a surprise holiday in Spain when she made the telephone call to her mother that the marriage was coming to an end, the court heard, after she discovered hundreds of text messages between her husband and Amanda Chadwick.

Evans’ manager at Egbert H Taylor, of Droitwich, Simon Mansfield, told the court he was concerned about the time his employee was on the telephone, before Evans told him he was splitting up from his wife and the rift was irreparable.

Mr Mansfield told him to go home and sort things out.

Evans denies murder. The trial continues.