Lesley Page: No evidence why woman, 65, shot herself in Emneth

Lesley Page was found next to a tree in the garden of the 17th Century hall she shared with her husband of more than 40 years, Stephen

A woman who shot herself may not have intended to die but to cause injury or use it as a "call for help", a coroner has said.

Lesley Page, 65, was found fatally injured in the garden of the home she shared with her husband in Emneth, Norfolk, on 11 September 2023.

A man in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of murder over her death but faced no further action.

An inquest in Norwich concluded the evidence did not reveal her intentions.

Her husband, Stephen, called 999 to say his "wife had shot herself", the hearing was told.

Mrs Page was found with shotgun injuries to her torso, next to a tree, in the grounds of their 17th Century hall near Wisbech.

Mrs Page's mother, Lillian Noding - who lived with her daughter and son-in-law, told police that her daughter would go clay pigeon shooting.

Evidence revealed her positioning meant she would have been able to fire the gun, which was "unlikely" to have been fired accidentally.

'Very competent employee'

The inquest was told the personal assistant at Barclays Bank in Canary Wharf had tended her resignation a month earlier, citing the long commute and not being happy with her work.

She had secured a new job at a local solicitors' firm and had been due to start the following month, in October.

Mrs Page was "never subject to misconduct, disciplinary or attendance proceedings", Det Insp Alix Wright of Norfolk Police told the hearing.

A former colleague described her as a "very competent employee", she added.

The officer said there were no recorded complaints relating to bullying, and nothing of concern was identified in financial records.

'Looking forward to future'

Senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said she had heard evidence "that there was a change in her character in the period prior to her death" and "she had become more timid".

She added: "But does this show intention that she wanted to die?"

Mrs Page leaving her job and finding another was "evidence she was looking forward to the future", the coroner added.

"The evidence as well is that her family can throw no light on her wanting to end her life," she said.

"There had been no concerns in that respect in the period immediately prior."

There was no suicide note and nothing of concern in her phone communication or work devices.

While Mrs Page shot herself, "she may not have intended to die", Mrs Lake added.

"It may have been a call for help or it may have been to injure herself," she said.

Recording a narrative conclusion, Ms Lake said: "Mrs Page shot herself and died as a result of her injuries but the evidence doesn't reveal her intention at the time."