The mother of a man who was murdered by his girlfriend and buried in their garden has described the moment she was unknowingly just a few feet away from his body. Nicholas Billingham, 42, was stabbed to death by primary school teacher Fiona Beal, 50, from Northampton, sometime between 30 October and 10 November 2021. After previously pleading guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter, on Friday, Beal pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Billingham. Image: Nicholas Billingham. Pic: PA Image: Fiona Beal. Pic: PA The Old Bailey heard she killed him in “cold blood” before burying his body in their back garden. Speaking after Ms Beal’s admission, Mr Billingham’s mother Yvonne Valentine said she had visited the couple’s home in the days after the killing. She said: “I walked into the house, in the living room, and the first thing I thought was, ‘oh, have you had a turn round of furniture? It all looks different’. “Fiona offered me a Christmas drink and we sat there… but it always gets to me, because I think …