A Scots woman murdered in a robbery at her home in Mauritius while her young son was in the house wanted to return to Scotland, her estranged husband has said.

It is thought Janice Farman, 47, may have been smothered by the thieves, who stole jewellery and money and escaped in her car.

Police were called to the property at Albion on the Indian Ocean island at about 1am on Friday and discovered Ms Farman's body in bed.

Her estranged husband Jean-Baptiste Moutou told local media that she had been robbed two weeks ago and wanted to return to the UK.

He said: "I spoke to her on the phone and she was fine but she said she wanted to leave Mauritius and return to Scotland.

"She asked me to help get proceedings under way."

The couple separated last year.

He told local media he was in China two months ago when she told him she wanted to live in Albion "because there are beautiful beaches".

Ms Farman's 10-year-old autistic son was in the property when his mother was murdered and was passed into the care of the child development unit by police.

Ms Farman, thought to originally be from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, was managing director of PECS Data Services in Mauritius.

Police have launched a murder investigation and are hunting three suspects.

The car has been found and is being examined by specialists.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: ''We are assisting the family of a British woman following her death in Mauritius and are in contact with the local authorities.''