Police have issued an update in a murder investigation after a farmer was shot dead. Officers were called to Pinfold Lane in Scarisbrick at around 4.55pm after receiving a call that a firearm had been discharged.
Upon arrival at the scene, emergency services found a 75-year-old man had sustained fatal injuries, likely caused by a single gunshot. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. A shotgun was recovered at the scene.
A 29-year-old man from Scarisbrick has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Investigators said the men were known to each other and that this was an “isolated incident”. In an update today, Saturday 27 July, a spokesperson for Lancashire Police confirmed the 29-year-old remains in police custody.
Neighbours living near Marsh Hey Farm, on Pinfold Lane, Scarisbrick, where the incident took place, were shocked by the news. One father who has lived on the road for seven years told the ECHO he saw police “coming down the road”. He said: “We didn’t see much except for about eight police cars down there last night.”
“They would all stand at the end of the alleys and focus their attention there first before moving on. I never really saw the couple who live there, but I would often see them walking down the street. They would keep to themselves. They are really typical farmers. It’s so sad.”
Detective Inspector Andy Fallows, of Lancashire Police’s investigation team, said: “A man has sadly lost his life as a result of this, and we have a team of dedicated officers working to establish what led to his death.
“We know this news may be worrying for the Scarisbrick community, but we want to reassure everyone that this is being treated as an isolated incident. Both parties are known to each other and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.
“I am therefore now asking you, the public, to contact me if you have any information, if you have seen or heard anything suspicious or if you have any dash cam footage from the Pinfold Lane area of Scarisbrick yesterday between 12pm and 5.30pm.”
