Jan Bennett was raped and murdered, and her body was set alight during the brutal attack in Bulgaria

Friends of a British pensioner who was raped, murdered and set alight in Bulgaria claim she was being stalked and warned her not to go.

Expat Jan Bennett, 67, was attacked while she was out walking her dogs on Thursday and her charred remains were found in bushes just 200 metres from her home.

She moved to Bulgaria with her disabled husband, 70, two months ago, but friends said they had advised her not to. Another told MailOnline Mrs Bennett had been stalked since she moved to the country.

Mrs Bennett and her husband Nick, who previously suffered a stroke, moved to Bulgaria from the seaside resort of Altinkum in western Turkey.

Speaking from Altinkum, a British man who had known Mrs Bennett for eight years, told MailOnline: 'Many people did try and stop her from going - we all knew there was a lot of crime.

'She was a lovely, lovely woman. She looked after herself - I think that could have been her downfall in Bulgaria.

'She oozed style and class without a doubt, she would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

'A lot of Brits who felt the pinch in Altinkum went to Bulgaria - a lot of people do look at the cheaper cost of living.'

Another claimed: 'Jan was being stalked by a guy ever since she came to Bulgaria, she sent me a few messages about what was going on but I did not think it would ever come to this. What an awful loss.'

Officials in Bulgaria said Mrs Bennett, originally from Bristol in the UK, died near her home in the village of Malomir,The Telegraph has reported.

According to the Turkish newspaper Didim Voices, Mrs Bennett did not return home after going out at 10pm on Thursday night, and her body was found the following day.

It is believed her corpse was set alight following the brutal attack and a Romany gypsy, Ivan Georgiev, 40, who worked as a grape picker, has been arrested.

Police found DNA linking the suspect to the crime scene and he was arrested on Saturday.

Friends have since paid tribute to the 'generous' woman who 'enjoyed life to the fullest.'

The 67-year-old had moved to the country with her disabled husband just two months ago despite friends' warning her not to

Marie-Louise Downie, who rented a property from Mrs Bennett in Turkey before she moved, said: 'She loved cats and dogs and we would care for the strays that lived on the complex.

'After surviving cancer she was very grateful to be in better health. I feel very sad for Nick because he will miss her terribly.

She looked after herself...that could have been her downfall in Bulgaria - she would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

'They loved each other very much. She was a well-read lady, always well turned out with great style. and one of the most kind, generous and caring ladies who enjoyed life to the fullest.

'I'm very sad and shocked that this has happened.'

It has been reported in the Bulgarian media that a post-mortem examination showed she was punched and kicked, and repeatedly hit on the head with a 'hard object'.

Her husband was rushed to hospital in shock after learning about his wife’s murder.

In an article entitled My Life As An Expat published by Altinkum Debate Group on Facebook, Mrs Bennett, who enjoyed belly-dancing in her spare time, wrote about her travelling adventures.

Mrs Bennett moved to the remote village of Malomir (pictured) in Bulgaria from the seaside resort of Altinkum

However in her ominous last post - in which she referred to a planned visit by a friend - she said: 'Well, Liz is due to visit me in Bulgaria in July, so I can only hope that whatever goes wrong (because something will), it’s nothing too serious.'

DID YOU KNOW JAN BENNETT? If you knew Jan Bennett and would like to pay tribute to her, please call Jenny Stanton on 0203 6152435, or email jenny.stanton@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

A memorial service will be held in Turkey on Sunday in Mrs Bennett's memory, and friends have paid tribute to her online.

Anna Sampson, who was a close friend of Mrs Bennett, told MailOnline: 'I met her in Altinkum not long after she arrived there and helped her out with cleaning and looking after her husband when she needed respite.

'She was a gentle, kind, generous and lovely lady. She was so looking forward to a happy life in Bulgaria and had made lots of new friends.

'Now her life has been stolen in such a brutal way, all who knew her are in deep shock. Its hard to believe this has actually happened, I can't take in she has gone.

'RIP my lovely friend, I will miss you.'

Remote: Jan was walking her dogs in the village of Malomir in Bulgaria on Thursday when she was attacked

Roz Millington wrote on Facebook: 'I am broken hearted about Jan. Her ordeal doesn't bear thinking about, such a lovely, funny, caring lady - I shall miss her.

'My heart goes out to her family, in particular her husband, who hasn't really yet recovered from his own illness and to her friends - I shall miss seeing her posts, the jokes and the stories of her life, told in such an amusing way. Bless you Jan.'

Joie Marie Greene added: 'I'm sorry to all the community who lost this brave soul. I see how her spirit is carried with so many persons she touched in her life.

'I pray someone is there without apprehension who will step in and care and console her husband. And the two dogs, what has happened to them?'

M L Downie shared a photo of Mrs Bennett with the caption: 'Beautiful kind generous lady, Jan You will be missed. RIP. Xx.'

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told MailOnline: 'We can confirm the death of a British national in Bulgaria.

'We are liaising with Bulgarian authorities and have met with the family to provide support at this difficult time.'

The couple had moved to the tiny village of Malomir in May after deciding that the remote location would help Mr Bennett’s recovery.