Family members have paid tribute to a mother who was stabbed to death in her own home, on the same day a man appeared in court charged with her murder.

Nicola Cross, 37, was found with two fatal stab wounds in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, late Monday night.

Marcin Porczynski, a 23-year-old Polish warehouse worker, has been charged with her murder, and made his first court appearance Thursday.

Distraught members of the Cross family, including her husband Danny, also released a statement paying tribute to their loved one.

Marriage photo: Distraught relatives of stabbing victim Nicola Cross released this image of her smiling on her wedding day

They described Mrs Cross as 'the perfect wife and most amazing mummy', and somebody who taught those around her never to give up.

The statement said: 'Our Nikki is the heart and soul of our family. She was kind, generous, brave and incredibly talented.

'The most beautiful person inside and out, Nikki was the perfect wife and the most amazing mummy.

'She installed core belief in our children to never give up and we will continue what she has built, which is a solid loving family who will remember her with undying love'.

Dozens of well-wishers placed floral tributes outside the scene of the crime, a three-storey townhouse in a quiet cul-de-sac. One read: 'Darling Nikki, your (sic) forever in our hearts, a ray of light. The world is a darker place without you in it'.

A second said: '‘Nikki, I’m going to miss you so much; your warm, loving nature, that beautiful smile...’

Mr Cross, a 38-year-old IT specialist, was out late working miles from home when his wife was killed.

Horror: Danny Cross, 38, heard the attack over the phone after his wife called him about an intruder

According to a friend, Mrs Cross phoned him in a panic when she heard somebody break in to their home. The friend said he was still on the line when the killer attacked, and heard his wife die.

Police yesterday said he and his family were ‘going through an extremely traumatic time’.

Porczynski was charged with murder, trespass with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of kidnap, and made an appearance at Hatfield Magistrates' Court on Thursday morning.

He is believed to have been arrested by officers as he stood in the garden of the family home in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire as Mrs Cross lay dead inside from two stab wounds.

Describing the night of the attack, a 35-year-old care worker who lives nearby said: ‘Dan heard everything on the other end of the phone. He was working away in Hull at the time.

‘Dan will never get that call out of his memory. He’ll have that for the rest of his life, knowing that he was too far away and could never have got to her to save her.

‘I just feel sick, it’s devastating. I’ve got three kids and it’s disgusting that they can do that to a woman at home with her children.

‘I feel for her husband and children. Nicola was a wonderful woman.’

Hertfordshire Police admitted that officers had spoken to Porczynski an hour before Mrs Cross’s death, following reports of noise and a man acting suspiciously in the road.

A neighbour claimed Mrs Cross made a call to police at 10.30pm on Monday night after hearing shouting outside.

Another resident said they also contacted police after seeing someone breaking into the Crosses’ home at around 11.30pm – just as Mrs Cross was phoning her husband.

Investigation: Police are shown outside the house Tuesday investigating. A forensic tent can be seen in the centre of the picture

Tributes: Mourners left floral tributes for Mrs Cross outside her home, where police continued to investigate on Thursday

Hertfordshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission to establish whether officers could have done more to prevent the crime.

It is understood the family’s £250,000 three-home was previously burgled during a recent two-week holiday in Majorca.

Killing: Mrs Cross, 37, was stabbed to death on Monday night

Another property in the area was also broken into last week. Polish-born Robert Dziel, 19, who rents a room in Porczynski’s terraced house in Hemel Hempstead, was also arrested and bailed on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Dziel said he had done ‘nothing wrong’ and simply ran after his friend when he stormed out of the property on Monday night.

Police have spent dozens of hours at the address since the killing, with forensics officers carrying dozens of bags of evidence from the home.

Porczynski had a Facebook page, since removed, on which he lists his hometown as Kielce, a city with 200,000 inhabitants in central Poland. It says he moved to Hemel Hempstead in May.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out yesterday on Mrs Cross, who ran a greeting cards business from her home.

Her family released a photo of her on her wedding day in June 2013. Other neighbours spoke of their disbelief at what had happened.

A security guard at the Martin Brower distribution centre in Hemel Hempstead where Porczynski works said: ‘He’s been working here a couple of months but I don’t know how long he’s been in the UK.’

Detective Chief Inspector Jerome Kent said the Crosses’ children were ‘safe and with family, who continue to be supported by specially trained officers’.

He added: ‘Officers remain in the area to offer reassurance and residents are encouraged to talk to them if they have any concerns.

‘We also understand people want answers but as you can imagine this has been and remains an extremely complex investigation.’

Death: Mrs Cross was reportedly found dead around 11pm, while her husband, Dan Cross, was out at work. Police are pictured outside the house on Wednesday

Response: Porczynski has yet to enter any pleas in response to the charges

Suspect makes first court appearance charged with murder, kidnap and trespass with intent

Porczynski stared straight ahead as he appeared in court today accused of murdering Mrs Cross.

He is also charged with two counts of kidnap and one of trespassing a dwelling with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Wearing a grey tracksuit he stared at the press bench with his mouth slightly agape as he was led into the dock at Hatfield Magistrates' Court by a uniformed officer.

Porczynski, who lived in Claymore Avenue, around the corner from Mrs Cross's home in Dunlin Road, held his hands clasped in front of him during the brief hearing.

Using a Polish interpreter, he spoke only to confirm his name, age and address during the short hearing.

He did not give an indication of plea.

Mrs Cross's husband Dan was not in court for the hearing.

Hertfordshire Police has admitted officers spoke to Porczynski an hour before Mrs Cross's death after receiving reports of a man acting suspiciously, but they let him go.

Police were called back to the street an hour later to investigate reports a man was trespassing into a neighbouring home.

It was while they were probing this that officers discovered Mrs Cross, who lived next door, had been stabbed. She was later pronounced dead.

Hertfordshire Police have referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Porczynski was led away from the dock in handcuffs as he was remanded in custody and will appear at Luton Crown Court tomorrow for a preliminary hearing.