Woman killed in Valentine's Day pub shooting

One local resident reported hearing "bangs" and a woman "shouting"

A woman in her 40s has died in a Valentine's Day shooting outside a village pub in Kent as police continue to search for the suspect.

Kent Police said it was treating the shooting at the Three Horseshoes on Main Road, Knockholt, just after 19:00 GMT on Friday, as a murder inquiry.

The woman, who had gunshot wounds, died at the scene, officers said.

Police later recovered a vehicle that contained a gun on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge, which crosses the River Thames near Dartford.

Det Ch Insp David Higham said call handlers had received reports of a man on the wrong side of the barrier on the bridge.

He said: "We are not ruling out the possibility that he may have entered the water.

"We are currently only looking for one suspect and do not believe there to be an ongoing risk to the public.

"Specialist officers continue to work with the families of both parties involved to support them following this tragic incident."

The suspect, a man who is believed to be known to the victim, left the area following the shooting, police said earlier.

Police forensic teams have been working at the scene

On Saturday morning, Kent Police said it was working to identify and locate "all persons potentially involved".

Local resident Chris Warner told the BBC: "It's a really quiet area. Everybody knows everyone.

"It's just so shocking that something like this could happen here."

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the Three Horseshoes pub expressed its "sincere condolences to the victim's family and friends".

It added: "We also want to send our support to anyone else in the local and surrounding community who have been impacted by this.

"Please be respectful of everyone involved at this difficult time."

Police officers cordoned off the area

MP for Sevenoaks and Swanley Laura Trott wrote on Facebook that she was "devastated to hear about the incident".

"I know our community will be shocked at the news but this is a live investigation and we must allow the police to do their job," she said.

Steve Maines, a parish councillor in Knockholt, told the BBC he heard a "commotion" outside the venue and was told someone had been shot.

He said: "We were sitting having our Valentine's Day meal when all of a sudden we heard this huge commotion outside in the car park.

"We were told someone had been shot so we had to leave."

The pub is about five miles (8km) from Sevenoaks

Villager Dorothy Wong said: "I heard around three to four bangs outside and loud shouting from a woman's voice."

Ray Picot has lived in the village for 30 years.

He said: "We looked out and saw the whole area cordoned off with ambulances, police and flashing lights."

A separate notice on the pub's Facebook page said it would be closed on Saturday "following a tragic incident outside the pub last night".

The Three Horseshoes is located about five miles (8km) north-west of Sevenoaks.

BBC reporter Daniel MacLaren said on Saturday morning the area immediately around the pub was cordoned off with police tape.

Police officers were standing by at the scene to prevent access.