Police are investigating following the discovery of the body of a 52-year-old woman and a seriously-injured man at a house in Pempwell near Stoke Climsland earlier this week.

The body of Cornwall Council employee Amanda Sorrell was found in the two-storey property when police arrived at 12.50pm on Monday, having been alerted by her colleagues in the registrar's department of the council after she failed to turn up for work that morning.

Police also found a man in his 60s who was suffering from serious injuries. He was taken to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, where police continue to wait to talk to him. A post-mortem examination to establish the cause of Mrs Sorrell's death was held on Wednesday but at the time of going to press police had not revealed its findings.

Neighbours in the secluded hamlet reported hearing the sound of shots from the property on Monday morning, although some say one loud bang was heard early on Saturday and another in the early hours of Monday morning.

Staff at the primary school in Stoke Climsland were instructed to keep the children inside for an hour as the police investigation got under way but they were allowed home at the normal time.

Neighbours expressed shock at the death of the divorced mother of two sons, who had moved to the hamlet about four years ago. They said she had a boyfriend in his 60s who regularly visited at weekends.

Police have not so far released the name of the man found injured. They are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.