The deaths of a British couple in rural France could be linked to a “problem from the past or somewhere far away,” according to a local mayor.

Andrew Searle, 62, and Dawn Searle, 56, are reported to have been found dead by a German friend, who lives nearby, after Mr Searle didn’t arrive for one of their regular dog walks.

The couple moved to the hamlet of Les Pesquies around a decade ago and were married in 2023 in the nearby town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, by the mayor Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, who is also their neighbour.

Speaking to Sky News from the town hall in which he conducted the couple’s wedding ceremony, he said: “It doesn’t seem like the problem comes from here because when we knew them and saw them living here they were very happy, very friendly and didn’t seem to have any problems.

“The problem seems to come from the past or somewhere far away.

“It’s an isolated act, it’s very independent. It doesn’t say that it’s a very dangerous territory, in fact, it’s very peaceful and that’s why probably Andy and Dawn chose to live here, because it’s very peaceful.

“Now, did their past come back and get them? That’s another story. That’s totally different from where we are. It could’ve happened anywhere.”

Investigators are reportedly looking at whether the British couple was killed during a burglary, but all lines of inquiry – including murder-suicide or potential links to Mr Searle’s previous work as an organised crime financial investigator in the UK – are open.

A LinkedIn profile in his name says he retired in 2015 after working for Barclays and Standard Life, and was “enjoying life in rural France”.

His page talks about “over 20 years experience specialising in Financial Crime Prevention (AML, Fraud and Anti-Bribery) with a high profile in the industry and an extensive network of contacts”.

Neighbours described them as a happy couple, who have fully integrated into rural French life and hold an annual party for villagers.

Ms Searle’s hairdresser said she was due to see her for her monthly appointment next week and would also regularly see her at their Pilates class.

“She was really a very alive woman, she would come and bring some positive energy when she arrived in the room. She was a ball of positive energy,” she said.

She said Ms Searle would talk a lot about her children, who she would visit without her husband.

Ms Searle’s son, the country musician and former Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr, said in an Instagram statement on Saturday that he and his sister Amanda Kerr and Mr Searle’s two children, Tom and Ella Searle, were grieving.

“She was always very joyful and happy,” the hairdresser said.

“She didn’t talk about any financial problems, I don’t think she has financial problems.

“She would say, ‘with Andy we did this, we did that’. She didn’t seem to have a problem with her husband.

“It’s really shocking and difficult to understand.”

Ms Searle’s body was reportedly found outside their home with a head injury, with jewellery found scattered nearby, while Mr Searle’s body was discovered inside the house hanged and gagged, according to local media.

But the reports have not been officially confirmed.

The public prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller, who is leading the investigation, previously said that while both “died violent deaths… all hypotheses remain open”.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.”

Warren Gatland is leaving his role as Wales rugby head coach with immediate effect.

The 61-year-old was in charge of the national team between 2007 and 2019, before returning to the post in 2022.

He is Wales‘s longest-serving head coach and arguably the most successful in the Welsh Rugby Union’s (WRU) history, with a gate at Cardiff‘s Principality Stadium renamed “Gatland’s Gate” in honour of him in 2019.

But pressure has been growing on Gatland amid a record string of defeats for his Welsh side – 14 losses in a row.

The WRU confirmed on Tuesday that Gatland will be replaced by Cardiff Rugby head coach Matt Sherratt on an interim basis.

The team had a disappointing autumn international series, including losing to Fiji at home in Cardiff for the first time.

The team also suffered the indignity of picking up the wooden spoon in last year’s Six Nations championship for the first time since 2003, and are yet to win a game at this year’s tournament.

Wales failed to score in this year’s opening match, losing to France 43-0, before going on to lose to Italy 22-15 on Saturday.

Gatland returned to Welsh rugby union after succeeding fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac as Wales head coach.

He also served as head coach for three British and Irish Lions tours in 2013, 2017, and 2021.

In his original stint as Wales head coach, Gatland oversaw four Six Nations victories – including three grand slams, when Wales won every game they played.

Gatland reached out to WRU chief executive Abi Tierney on Monday to discuss his future.

Ms Tierney said Gatland and the union agreed that making the change now – part way through the Six Nations championship – was “in the best interests of the Wales squad”.

She said the WRU was grateful to Gatland “for all he has done for the game in Wales”.

“He remains our longest-serving and most decorated head coach in terms of the silverware he has won,” she added.

‘Time for a change’

Gatland thanked the WRU for “affording [him] the time and resource to try to turn things around for this 2025 tournament”.

“We have worked hard, we have a talented young squad that is developing and have been desperate to turn potential into results but now is the right time for a change,” he added.

Sherratt will oversee Wales for the rest of the tournament, before a permanent replacement is named ahead of fixtures in Japan in the summer.

Speaking ahead of this year’s Six Nations championship, Gatland told critics to “write us off at your peril”.

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Gatland is not the first departure from the WRU in recent months, after the WRU’s executive director of rugby quit in December.

When he stepped down, Nigel Walker said it was “right” that he was “judged on performances on the pitch”.

He said: “Both of our senior teams have found the last 12 months extremely difficult and therefore I believe now is the right time for me to step down”.

A jury has found Chelsea striker Sam Kerr not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment after calling a police officer “stupid and white”.

The Australian football star was charged after an incident in southwest London in the early hours of 30 January 2023.

Kingston Crown Court was told Kerr, 31, and her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, had been out drinking when they were driven to Twickenham Police Station by a taxi driver.

The driver had complained that they had refused to pay clean-up costs after one of them was sick and that one of them smashed the vehicle’s rear window.

At the police station, Kerr was accused of becoming “abusive and insulting” towards PC Stephen Lovell, calling him “f****** stupid and white”.

During the trial, she denied suggesting PC Lovell was “stupid because he was white” and that her remark amounted to the charge of causing racially aggravated harassment.

She told the court she “feared for my life” as she and her partner were “trapped” in the back of a taxi, moments before Ms Mewis smashed the vehicle’s rear window.

Judge Peter Lodder KC said after the verdict: “I take the view her own behaviour contributed significantly to the bringing of this allegation.

“I don’t go behind the jury’s verdict but that has a significant bearing on the question of costs.”

During the trial, Ms Kerr said she regretted the way she expressed herself but added: “I feel the message was still relevant”.

She denied using “whiteness as an insult” and claimed: “I believed it was him using his power and privilege over me because he was accusing me of being something I’m not…

“I was trying to express that due to the power and privilege they had, they would never have to understand what we had just gone through and the fear we were having for our lives.”

The court heard how Ms Kerr and Ms Mewis felt “dismissed” by Pc Lovell after explaining how they had been “trapped” in the back of a taxi and “held against our will”.

Ms Mewis smashed the taxi’s rear window before the pair climbed out of the vehicle, which was parked near Twickenham police station.

The court heard that at the station, Ms Kerr, her partner and Pc Lovell got into a “heated argument”, and Ms Kerr told police “this is a racial f****** thing”.

She told the jury: “I believed were treating me differently because of what they perceived to be the colour of my skin – particularly Pc Lovell’s behaviour.

“The way he was accusing me of lying, and later arresting me for criminal damage even though Kristie said it was just her (who smashed the taxi’s window).

“At the time, I thought they were trying to put it on me.”