A pregnant woman was stabbed to death in her bed as she slept alongside her husband and toddler son at a luxury resort in South Africa.

Karen Turner was killed a day after celebrating her 31st birthday, and her husband Matthew, 33, was knifed several times in the frenzied attack at around 3am on Tuesday.

Two men armed with knives broke into the family's self-contained chalet overlooking the beach at the Hluleka Nature Reserve on the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape.

Ms Turner, a primary school teacher from Underberg, died almost instantly, police said. The couple's unborn child also died.

Mr Turner survived the attack and was flown to nearby Pietermaritzburg, where he underwent surgery. The couple's son Hayden was unharmed.


Image: Karen Turner was murdered in her bed as she slept next to her husband Matthew. Pic: Facebook

He remains in hospital with severe upper-body injuries, police said.

Police spokeswoman Captain Dineo Koena was quoted by local reports as saying that friends of the couple who were staying at a chalet next door awoke to "shouting and a struggle".

The friends went to check on the couple to discover a horrific scene.

Capt Koena told News24: "The husband opened the door and he was bleeding. The wife was dead on her back.

"The husband was rushed to hospital in Mthatha in a stable condition. The baby is with their neighbour."

Capt Koena added that there were no signs of forced entry, but everything inside the lodge was upside down.

"It was not like a robbery because no valuables were taken," she added.

Image: Karen and Matthew Turner married in 2017. Pic: Facebook

The motive for the attack remains unclear and there have been no arrests. However, police said they had identified one of two suspects.

The young family had been staying at the luxury resort to celebrate Ms Turner's birthday.

The couple had been married since July 2017 and have a farm in the town of Underberg in South Africa.

Ms Turner's older brother told News24: "Matthew's recollection was that he was woken up by being stabbed in the stomach by a guy on his side of the bed and there was another chap stabbing my sister.

"He said he managed to sort of grab the guy and there was a tussle down the stairs."

Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency CEO Vuyani Dayimani, which manages the resort, said: "The two guests were booked in from Monday to Thursday and police were called after a stabbing incident. The police have confirmed one visitor passed away and another is in hospital."

The attack comes just days ahead of Prince Harry is due to visit South Africa with his wife Meghan and son Archie for a 10-day trip.