Tributes stacked up yesterday outside the gates of Glasgow's Queen's Park as a shocked community struggled to make sense of a woman's brutal murder on their doorstep.

Five days after the body of 40-year-old sales consultant Moira Jones was discovered, cards and flowers articulated the anguish and sorrow of neighbours, family and friends.

One read: "We are so sorry. We care. This community cares. Rosie, Nicola, Susie." A friend wrote: "Friends like you don't come along that often.

"So glad to have known you. Miss you always. Love you, Diane."

One neighbour added: "To all family and friends, my deepest sympathy for their terrible loss. Moira you were a lovely neighbour.

"You will always be missed. Rest in peace with the angels."

The victim's partially-clothed body was found close to the top of the steps in the centre of the park by a warden on Thursday morning.

Police have described her death as "brutal and violent" with a potential sexual motive.

While she is known to have used the park during the day to go jogging, it is thought highly unlikely by friends and family that she would have gone there alone at night.

One theory is that she was dragged into the park after parking her car close to her home on Queen's Drive around 10.45pm on Wednesday night after visiting her boyfriend in the Cranstonhill area of Glasgow.

She left her car in a space on the next block away from her flat.

It would have taken her just 30 seconds to walk from her car to her tenement, which overlooks the park, but Miss Jones never made it home.

Yesterday forensic officers kept up an intensive examination of the scene and the surrounding area.

A hole in the wrought iron park railings opposite Miss Jones flat had been sealed by police tape and guarded by an officer.

The tape was removed yesterday as a forensic expert moved in to test the railings for fibre traces.

Officers carried out a fingertip search of a large section of the park land and the grassy patch close to where Miss Jones car was left.

A further team of officers guarded her flat while detectives searched her belongings for any potential reason as to why Miss Jones met her death.

Miss Jones was a sales consultant for soft drinks company Britvic and described by detectives as a "respectable businesswoman."

Colleagues yesterday laid a posy of flowers for their workmate.

A spokeswoman for the firm said that "deepest sympathies" went to Miss Jones' family.

Queen's Park has been a mixed blessing for residents. James Williams, 57, who lives a moment from the park's main gates, said: "During the day it is a lovely place, but by night it is not safe. Everyone around here would tell you that.

"Even at night when I have my window open I can hear people shouting and screaming. The park at night is not a safe place for men, let alone for a woman.

"I wouldn't believe that the woman would have gone in there alone and on her own free will. She must have been dragged in there."

Sharon McQuillan, 37, an IT consultant, moved to the area four months ago with her husband and young family.

She said: "I just feel a bit disillusioned about the place now.

"The park was a big draw for us moving here and now I feel less tempted to go in there. It's very sad what has happened."

Phyllis Robertson, 39, said: "I wouldn't go into the park at night, even with a friend. What has happened there just further erodes your sense of security."

Caroline Rankin, 41, a catering supervisor at the Victoria Infirmary opposite the park, described the murder as "dreadful, frightening and terrifying".

Detective Chief Inspector Derek Robertson is in charge of the murder inquiry, which has deployed officers from across the Strathclyde region.

He urged anyone who was in the Queen's Park area last Wednesday night to cast their mind back to what and who they saw at that time.

Officers are stationed at the park gates where they are available to speak to the public in person or by telephone on 0141 532 5025.