malden flowers
Tania Clarence has been charged with the murder of her three children; Olivia, Ben and Max Reuters

The mother of three children found dead at their New Malden home has been charged with murder.

Tania Clarence was arrested after the bodies of her three children, Ben and Max, both aged three, and four-year-old Olivia, were found at her £1.2m south London home. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

An older child in the house, believed to be seven or eight, was said to be in good health.

The 42-year-old wife of Investec banker Gary, who was reportedly away in South Africa with the couple's eight-year-old daughter when the deaths happened, will appear before Wimbledon magistrates on Friday (25 April).

Post mortem examinations of the children were ongoing.

Police were called after friends said they had been unable to contact the family for 24 hours.

Mrs Clarence was taken to hospital with minor injuries but was later discharged and arrested.