The family of Kirsty Ward have asked for “privacy during this distressing time” after the Irish mother-of-one was murdered in the Spanish town of Salou.

Publishing a picture of the 36-year-old Dubliner this morning, the family said they are continuing to liaise with the Department of Foreign Affairs following her death.

“The family will not be making any further comment or statements and ask for privacy during this distressing time,” they said.

Ms Ward was found dead in the corridor of a hotel in the Tarragona seaside resort on Sunday evening.

A man who was found alongside her was arrested on suspicion of murder and has since appeared before Tarragona’s specialist Court of Violence Against Women.

He has been remanded to prison; however, the court hearing took place behind closed doors and no further information was made public.

Local police believe Ms Ward was strangled with a chord.

Emergency services attempted to revive her when they arrived at the hotel; however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The murder has caught the attention of a lot of the Spanish media – with domestic abuse a huge issue in the country.