TWO people have been charged with murder following the deaths of a mother and son in an Essex village.

Police officers were called to Ugley, near Bishop’s Stortford on the Essex border, just before 10pm on Tuesday, Essex Police said.

A woman in her 50s and a man in his 20s were pronounced dead at the scene at an address in Cambridge Road.

Police later named them as Maria Nugara, 54, and her son Giuseppe Morreale, 29, who lived in Ugley and both died at the scene.

Following an investigation led by Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate, detectives have since charged a man with two counts of murder.

Calogero Ricotta, 63, of Cambridge Road, Ugley, faces two charges of murder and one count of actual bodily harm.

Following the incident, Det Insp Lydia George said: “My thoughts are with the loved ones of the two people who were killed in Ugley.

“This will be an unimaginably difficult time for them and they will be supported by specialist officers.

“I know this incident will cause concern among within the local community but I want to reassure them that we have a team of experienced detectives and staff investigating.

“At this stage we do not believe this incident poses a risk to the wider public and we’re not looking for anyone else in connection with it.”