A retired businessman is believed to have killed his wife and left her body under the Christmas tree before driving his car off the road and fatally injuring himself.

Susan Goswell, 63, a retired teacher, may have been battered to death with one of her husband’s golf clubs. Roger Goswell, 66, a prominent amateur golfer, then apparently killed himself by driving a Smart car into a tree.

Villagers in the South Downs reacted with disbelief to the tale emerging from the country home of the peacefully retired couple from West Chiltington (population 3,500), near Pulborough, West Sussex.

Police were led to Mrs Goswell’s body after her husband drove into the tree half a mile from their home at 8.50pm on Sunday.

Officers went to his address and became suspicious when nobody answered the door. They forced their way into the gated bungalow, set amid more than half an acre of land, and discovered the former teacher’s body among the tinsel, presents and decorations.

A source close to the investigation said: “We are working on the assumption that the husband killed his wife and then killed himself by driving his car into a tree.

“Officers initially went to the address to inform the occupants of the road traffic accident, but upon arrival they found a car in the drive but no answer at the door. So officers forced entry and found the body among Christmas decorations.”

Forensic science staff began an examination and Mrs Goswell’s body was kept at the murder scene until Christmas Eve. Some items were removed from the £700,000 home for closer examination. Last night two police vehicles were parked outside.

A single floral tribute lay at the entrance. A card attached read: “To a loving and devoted mother from all your children. We love you mum”.

Mr Goswell, said to have been retired for about ten years, appears to have taken his life by driving into a tree. The car failed to hit the tree with sufficient impact to kill him instantly and he was found dying behind the wheel. He was cut from the wreckage and was taken to Worthing Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1am on Christmas Eve.

He appears to have left a black X5 BMW car parked at home. Officers do not believe that anyone else was involved in the deaths.

The couple’s home, Little Birches, is protected by electric gates, an entry phone and dogs. The picture-postcard village, mentioned in the Domesday Book, has stocks, a whipping post and a windmill. West Chiltington is close to the Nyetimber vineyard, whose wine is served by the Queen, and has a celebrated golf course.

Detective Chief Inspector Adam Hibbert of the Sussex Police major crime branch is leading the investigation, code-named Operation Armoy.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “Roger was a very keen golfer and was known at several clubs in Sussex. He could have used one of his clubs to kill his wife.”

Eileen Rogers, a neighbour, said: “It is terrible to think that this has happened just before Christmas. Susan was lovely. I didn’t know Roger very well, but Susan was great fun.

“I can’t believe it really. To have such a horrible thing happen on your doorstep is truly numbing. I can’t enjoy Christmas knowing what has happened to that poor woman.”

Another said: “One policeman told me that they knew something was not right at the house as soon as they arrived.

“Susan’s car was parked outside the house but when they hammered on the door they could not get an answer. That’s when they forced their way in and found her body.

“It is absolutely awful and especially so because it has happened just a day or so before Christmas. It makes you wonder what must have been going through his mind: whether it was the stress of Christmas or something else which we did not know about.”

Another neighbour said: “She was a really nice and polite woman who did not deserve to die like this. The whole community is in shock at what has happened.”

Sussex police said: “A murder inquiry has been launched into the death of a 63-year-old woman. “Two Home Office postmortem examinations are taking place in relation to the deaths at West Chiltington.” When asked if a golf club was the murder weapon the spokesman said: “I cannot speculate.”

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