Neighbours describe hearing gunshots in Cambridgeshire double murder inquiry

• Neighbours told ITV News Anglia about their fears after shootings in their villages

Neighbours living near the house where a man was shot dead have described hearing "loud bangs" shattering the silence in their quiet village.

Gunshots were heard in Bluntisham in Cambridgeshire just after 9pm on Wednesday, with police arriving to find the body of a 32-year-old man with a gunshot wound.

Just over half an hour later, police were called to the nearby village of Sutton, near Ely, to more reports of gunshots.

Sarah Lown, who lives in Sutton, said she heard three loud bangs.

"I didn't know it was gunshots at the time," the 38-year-old designer said.

"It was about 9.15pm; I thought it was something blowing over as I heard a bang. There are pallets in our garden that I thought could have fallen over.

"I didn't think anything crazy had happened. I heard two more - it was bang, space, bang.

"Whether or not they were each gunshots I don't know; then police were outside the house."

Maria Elms has lived in Bluntisham for about 20 years and walks dogs nearby.

She told ITV News Anglia it was completely unexpected.

"When you hear the word murder that's pretty horrendous. Especially when you're a dog walker, you feel quite vulnerable as it is."

Cambridgeshire Police said both men's deaths were being treated as "targeted" murders.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

A 27-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman were arrested in Cambridge, while a 66-year-old man was arrested in the Worcester area.

Sutton resident Gordon Murray said he saw police cars "racing down" and armed police shouting on Wednesday evening.

The 62-year-old support engineer said officers later asked him if he had CCTV footage, and when he looked back he saw a white car that made two passes, and on the second pass the car stopped and someone opened the boot.

"I saw the police cars racing down here," he said.

"There was a lot of shouting. Then I saw the armed police.

"They were shouting something to the homeowners. I stood in the window watching."

Cambridgeshire Police say there would be an increased police presence in the area throughout the day.

“These events will be shocking to local people and there will be understandable concerns within local communities" said Det Insp Mark Butler.

"However, we are treating the attacks as targeted and there is no wider risk to the general public," he added.

“Detectives are now beginning inquiries into how these events unfolded and we are appealing to anyone who was in either area and saw anyone acting suspiciously or a white Peugeot 208."

Anyone with information should report online to Cambridgeshire Police and quote Operation Scan.

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