THE family who were brutally stabbed at their Norton home were “Good Samaritans” who had given refuge to a homeless man, it has emerged.

Peter Wilkinson, his wife Tracey and their 13-year-old son Pierce were subjected to the frenzied knife attack yesterday morning (Thursday).

Tracey, aged 50, was pronounced dead inside the family’s Greyhound Lane home and Pierce, a pupil at Redhill School in Stourbridge, later died in hospital.

Stourbridge News:

Pic by SWNS.

Company director Peter, aged 47, remained in a critical but stable condition in hospital today (Friday) as a man in his 20s was quizzed on suspicion of wounding and murder.

Police confirmed the suspect was known to the family but was not a relative and detectives were pursuing whether he had been homeless as a "line of questioning".

Regulars at the couple’s local pub the New Inn described them as "very charitable" and said they had taken in the homeless man in December.

One local, who did not wish to be named, said: "They were a lovely family, it is just awful what's happened.

"They had two children who were a credit to them.

"I've seen Peter with Pierce in the Greyhound pub near their house playing pool.

"But Peter and Tracey also drank at the New Inn.

Stourbridge News:

"They were well-known and liked by everyone. No-one had a bad word to say about them.

"They were a very charitable couple, they were Good Samaritans and Tracey had a heart of gold.

Stourbridge News:

"It doesn't surprise me at all that they would open up their home to somebody in need and provide them with a roof over their head.

"It was just in their nature. They were just so kind."

Well-wishers have been leaving floral tributes outside the family’s £440,000 detached home.

Friends of Pierce, who laid tributes on their way to school with their parents, were too upset to comment.

Stourbridge News:

One message read: "Rest in peace Tracey and Pierce.

"Praying for Peter's recovery.

"Thoughts with Lydia and the rest of the family.

"Love Beth and family."

Another message scrawled in children's handwriting on a bouquet of flowers said: "To my friend Pierce RIP."

Stourbridge News:

Another read: "A lovely family, they will be deeply missed.

"Our thoughts, prayers are with you at this very sad time.

"Love from Nina and family."

Norton Conservative councillor Colin Elcock added "I came down because I heard something terrible had happened from a colleague, but it wasn't until I got here that I realised how terrible.

"I had only been with Tracey last week at a ward meeting where she was, as always, very supportive of me.

"They were a lovely couple. Peter was a businessman, and used to travel a lot to the USA and Europe with his job.

"But both he and Tracey helped me deliver pamphlets for the Mayoral elections."

Stourbridge News:

A member of staff at the New Inn pub said Tracey used to work in a rehab centre supporting people with drug and alcohol problems.

They added: "It is awful what's happened to that family. They were a lovely family.

"I know there was someone living at the house with them.

"I don't know if it was a homeless person but I know they had taken someone in.

"I'm not sure if she was still working there but I know Tracey used to work at a rehab centre so it could be someone she knew from that.

"The family used to come in here quite a bit.

"The whole family would always come in with Pierce on events like Christmas Day.

"It was mainly Peter and Lydia who came on a more regular basis. They were ever so close.

"Lydia was last in here at the weekend.

Stourbridge News:

Pic by SWNS.

"Peter used to come in quite regularly, at least two or three times a week, and have his pint or two.

"But we haven't seen much of him since Christmas.

"He was the nicest bloke. He used to come in the pub shooting days and he would never let anybody drive, he would always drive people around."

For more on the double murder investigation, including how events unfolded yesterday, click here.