A woman wanted on suspicion of murdering her mother has been spotted by a relative, police confirmed last night.

Nicola Edgington, a 25-year-old mother of two, called at the relative's home in Southend on Tuesday.

The relative urged Ms Edgington to give herself up but she refused and walked out after a few minutes.

Detectives from the Sussex Police Major Crime Branch want to interview Ms Edgington in connection with the stabbing murder of her mother Marion, 60, a mother-of-three, at her home in Upper Close, Forest Row, near East Grinstead on Saturday.

Ms Edgington, who has been named as the "only suspect" in the killing of her mother, called at an address in Southend yesterday, said a Sussex Police spokesman.

The body of divorcee Marion Edgington was found by her son Thomas, 23, and youngest daughter Sara, 20, at her home.

Neighbours said they heard a "real ding-dong" of an argument at the house on Friday evening, possibly about the care of Nicola Edgington's two children, who are understood not to be with her.

A post-mortem examination showed Marion Edgington died of stab wounds.

The spokesman said: "Detectives from the Major Crime Branch investigating the murder of Marion Edgington at Forest Row on Saturday, November 5, can confirm a positive sighting of Nicola Edgington, Marion's daughter, who they wish to speak to about the murder.

"Nicola, who is 25-years-old, 5ft 3in, slim build, with long fair hair, is known to have called at an address in Southend yesterday and then left. At the time, she was wearing a brown cloth zip-up jacket, scruffy blue jeans and carrying a pink handbag."

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said the sighting was "very significant".

She said: "We are pretty confident that the sighting in Southend is her. Now we have a clear description of what she's wearing and a clear idea of some of her movements after the incident.

But she added: "Where she has gone from there we don't know."

Officers had previously been focusing their search for Nicola on the Woolwich area of south east London, where she was last known to be living. They are now widening their investigation to Essex.

Ms Edgington is married and has two young sons.

A force spokeswoman added: "I can categorically state that the children are not with her. There's no risk to them. They were not with her in the run-up to the incident."

Officers have said she will be immediately arrested on suspicion of murder when located.

Neighbour Graham Pedder, 46, said: "All I know is that I heard at least three female voices in the house next door on Friday. I heard lots of profanities being used. It was a real ding-dong."

Sara Edgington, an office assistant from London, earlier appealed for her sister to "turn herself in to police".

She told a news conference: "We cannot come to terms with what has happened until we know where you are. If anyone knows where she is, please contact Sussex Police."

She described her sister as a "chav" but said her mother, who worked as a cleaner, was "perfect in every way".

Anyone who has any information as to Ms Edgington's whereabouts is asked to contact officers on 0845 6070999, quoting Operation Clock.