Whaley Bridge: Murder arrest after men shot during burglary

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after one man was shot dead and another seriously injured in a Derbyshire town.

Police said it was called to reports of a burglary in Eccles Road, Whaley Bridge, at 01:20 BST on Wednesday.

Officers found a man at the scene with fatal gunshot wounds and another man with a gunshot wound nearby in the same road.

A third man was arrested and remains in custody, the force said.

Police added officers also detained the seriously injured man, who has been taken to hospital, on suspicion of aggravated burglary.

A fourth man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary after officers stopped a vehicle on the A6 near Chapel-en-le-Frith. He remains in custody.

Two cordons are in place at two houses on the road.

The town of Whaley Bridge is located in the High Peak area of Derbyshire, about 20 miles (32km) from Manchester, and 27 miles (43km) from Sheffield.

Ch Supt Dave Kirby, of Derbyshire Police, said: "We appreciate the impact this incident is having on this small rural community and we'd like to thank local residents for their help with this investigation so far.

"We are aware there has been some speculation locally around this and while we are in the early stages of the investigation, we believe this is a targeted incident.

"At this stage we don't believe there is any wider risk to the public.

"Residents in the area will see an increased police presence in the area for some time as investigations continue and we will provide further updates as soon as we are able."

A local resident walking her dogs near the cordon told the BBC she was "horrified".

"It's just not something we expect anywhere, never mind here," she said. "It's quiet, it's peaceful, people know each other. It's very sad."

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