A 65-year-old woman found dead at an £900,000 manor house at Emneth near Wisbech had been shot.
Detectives have been joined by a forensics team at the property as the investigation into her death continues.
During the day police watched as a car was put on a transporter and taken away by J S Holmes for forensic examination.
Police confirmed today that provisional results from a post mortem carried out yesterday on Lesley Page of Banyer Hall, Emneth, “showed the cause of death as gunshot wounds to the torso”.
Local reports say that Mrs Page, a former bank worker, and her husband moved to the manor house from Brentwood in Essex with her husband.
A man, in his 60s, was arrested on suspicion of murder and continues to be questioned by Norfolk detectives.
Drone footage by CambsNews shows the extent of the search of the grounds being carried out by detectives and forensic teams.
Police have quizzed neighbours about the shooting – one villager has told CambsNews he believes the body may have been there for some time.
Norfolk Police say they have been given additional time to question the suspect.
Officers applied for a warrant of further detention at Norwich Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Tuesday 12 September) and were granted an additional 36 hours to question him.
The magistrates’ extension will expire at 03.36hrs.
Police were first called to Banyer Hall shortly before 7.30am on Monday (11 September) following a report that the body of a woman, aged in her 60s, had been found.
A man was arrested on suspicion of murder the same day and taken initially to King’s Lynn Police Investigation Centre for questioning; he has remained in custody since.
A police spokesperson said: “A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday, with provisional results showing the cause of death as gunshot wounds to the torso.
“Pending formal coroner’s inquest proceedings, police have provisionally identified the deceased as 65-year-old Lesley Page of Lady’s Drove, Emneth.”
Mrs Page and her husband Steve bought Banyer Hall in Lady’s Drove, Emneth, in 2017.
The couple successfully obtained a certificate of lawful use from King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council in 2021 to confirm that a wildlife pond and earth mounds had been completed at least four previously and so therefore were not in breach of town and country planning laws.
The house was sold in 2017 for around £600,000 and has been in the same ownership since then.
Viewers of the BBC ‘Escape to the Country’ were given a guided tour of Banyer Hall when it was offered for sale six years ago.
A couple looking to re-locate to Norfolk were shown Banyer Hall last – it was the ‘mystery house’ producers leave to last.
It attracted the couple, particularly after they told that former parish vicars included the Rev Wilbert Awdry, creator of Thomas the Tank engine.
However, despite being wowed by the ‘handsome, nice big windows’ appeal, the couple bought a home elsewhere.
