Murder, murder, I think my neck has been broken - he tried to kill me. Lady Veronica Lucan

The attacker then beat Lady Lucan about the head but she managed to escape and make her way to the nearest pub, the Plumbers' Arms.

She had blood pouring from several wounds on her head and was pleading for help.

She is reported to have said: "Murder, murder, I think my neck has been broken - he tried to kill me.

"I think I am dying. Please look after my children, my children."

She is now being treated in St George's Hospital and has given police a description of her attacker.

Her children - Lord George Bingham, aged seven, Lady Frances Bingham, aged 10 and Lady Camilla Bingham, aged four - are being looked after.

Police said the children, who were made wards of court earlier this year, were unaware of the attack on their mother last night.

After the body was found, police went to an address in Eaton Rd, where Lord Lucan has been living.

Neighbours saw them break down the door and burst in and one officer smashed a downstairs window.

Lord Lucan's car, a Datsun, was later found abandoned in Whitehall and taken away for examination.

Lord and Lady Lucan married in 1963. Lord Lucan succeeded to the earldom the following year.

Divorce proceedings began earlier this year and the couple had been living apart for some time.

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