HEARTBROKEN family members of a former Stourport firefighter whose wife has been arrested on suspicion of murdering him in Malaysia have paid tribute to him.

Samantha Jones, aged 62, has been arrested for the alleged murder of her husband John William Jones, who is also aged 62.

Mr Jones was discovered dead at the couple’s bungalow at Mukim Kedawang on the Malaysian holiday island of Langkawi in the early hours of Thursday (October 18).

The father-of-two was born and raised in Stourport and served as a firefighter in a number of Worcestershire stations including Kidderminster and Bromsgrove.

He moved to Yeovil in Somerset in the 1980s where he rose to the rank of chief fire officer before retiring and moving out to Malaysia around 10 years ago.

A relative told The Shuttle that his family, including son Ben, daughter Amy, four grandchildren, four brothers and a sister, have all been left distraught by his death.

They said: “John was a loving family man who thought the world of them. He moved to Malaysia after retiring but often returned to see his family.

“He even came back earlier this year to complete the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell, with his daughter.

“He spent his whole working life with the fire service and he will be greatly missed.”

Samantha Jones was immediately remanded in custody when she appeared at Alor Setar Court last Thursday (October 18). The remand has reportedly been extended by another week as police continue their investigations.

Murder presently carries a mandatory death sentence in Malaysia although the country’s government this week vowed to abolish capital punishment, with law changes set to come.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man following his death in Malaysia, and are in contact with the Malaysian authorities.”

He added they were also in contact with the Malaysian police.