BODY-in-the-lake "victim" Evelyn Lund's family today broke their three-year silence over the death following the arrest of her husband for murder.

Daughter Patricia Taylor said she hoped the wait for answers may finally be coming to an end and that her mother's body could soon be returned to the UK.

She said: "All we want is to get mum's body back so she can be laid to rest.

"Whatever happens now, nothing will bring her back and we accept that.

"But we do want to find out what happened so that we can have some closure, nearly five years ago now."

Shortly after Christmas 1999, Evelyn, 52, of Winter Hill, Darwen, disappeared from the farmhouse in Southern France where she had begun a new life with her second husband Robert. Her body was found in a Toyota Landcruiser at the bottom of a nearby lake in October 2001.

Robert, 52, a former Blackburn council tree protection officer, was this week arrested by police and held in Albi, close to the village of Castres, pending a trial for her murder.

He has always protested his innocnce but has been the prime suspect since the mother-of-three's disappearance and admitted to being violent towards her during an Evening Telegraph investigation into the case last year.

Today, Patricia Taylor said the family hoped they were a step closer to getting the body back so Evelyn, whose parents live in Rawtenstall, could be cremated and have her ashes scattered at Burnley Cemetery.

That is where her first husband, insurance worker Arthur Taylor, had his ashes placed after his death in 1991.

The Blackburn woman, who has been lodging with Lund at his 400-year-old farmhouse in the idyllic hamlet of La Veaute today insisted that he was innocent.

He had been interviewed on two previous occasions before police presented evidence to a magistrate, who gave permission for his arrest.

It is not known how long Lund will be held in prison before appearing before court again

Barbara Bullen, who moved to France in 1998 after the death of her husband David, a former colleague of Evelyn's first husband, has lodged for six months with Lund.

The former resident of Beardwood, Blackburn, said: "I believe Robert to be innocent. I have known him for so long and was close friends with them both of them.

"Trying to find out what has happened since he was arrested has become an absolute nightmare. Nobody has told us anything, but I went to the prison with some clothes for him.

"I hope to get to see him. He is a friend and I have applied for a visiting order, but I don't know if I will get one. He has friends around her who are rallying round."

The former Beardwood Hospital nurse said the three police officers, accompanied by an interpreter, arrived at the house at around 6am on Monday.

She said: "We got a message that the police had been around, something about some ducks getting on to the road.

"But they explained the real reason on Monday. Robert asked for time to have a shower and then went with them. That is the last time I saw him.

"I don't know how he is coping, but it will be hitting him hard."

Foreign Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "The Foreign Office is aware of Mr Lund's case. He will be offered all the Consulate assistance that you would expect from the British Embassy."