A Lithuanian man appeared before magistrates today charged with the murder of 81-year-old Albertina Choules.

Tautvydas Narbutas is charged with the killing of Mrs Choules as well as causing grievous bodily harm to two Thames Valley Police officers at the murder scene, Hill Green Cottage near Marlow Bottom, Buckinghamshire.

Mrs Choules' body was found in the garden of her home at 6.30am last Wednesday after an emergency call was made to police reporting a disturbance.

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Tautvydas Narbutas is accused of murdering Albertina Choules in her garden in Buckinghamshire

The pensioner was found dead in her garden last week. Her had been hit with a blunt object and burned

The pensioner had been struck over the head with a blunt instrument and her body set on fire.

Narbutas, 23, stood in the dock at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court this morning wearing handcuffs and a heavy bandage on his right hand and lower arm.

Through an interpreter, the defendant, wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a jumper, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address. He made no application for bail.

Narbutas, of High Wycombe, was ordered to appear at Reading Crown Court tomorrow for a preliminary hearing. He was remanded in custody overnight until his case is heard by a judge.

According to his Facebook page, Narbutas is from Kelmė, a small city in the west of Lithuania.

Fit and active, Italian-born Mrs Choules is send to have spent much of her time tending her garden at her remote country home. She had no electricity and is believed to have used gas lanterns.

A van brings Tautvydas Narbutas to court where he was remanded in custody ahead of another appearance

Mrs Choules was described as an 'incredibly special' woman who loved her garden and other people

The widow had allowed generations of villagers to freely tour her estate as part of a Buddhist trail she created with her late husband Michael, a company director and fellow convert to the religion, who died from cancer in 2004.

Albertina's family released a tribute which read: 'Tina was incredibly special, as was her simple, self-sufficient way of life with no electricity, television or washing machine.

'She never liked to sit still and worked tirelessly to maintain her beautiful garden and produce all year round.

'Even in her old age she would chop trees, dig up flowerbeds and wrestle with her lovely dog, Georgie.

'She was completely selfless in giving away her fantastic fruit and vegetables to friends and family as well as sharing her wonderful Buddhist Stupas (that she built with her own hands) with those that chose to walk in the woodland.

'Her friends and family in both the UK and Italy will miss her very dearly.'