Knockholt: Woman killed in Valentine's Day pub shooting

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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 a manhunt continues.

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 and a gun on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge, which crosses the River Thames near Dartford.

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

His whereabouts are unknown.

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."

Police forensic teams have been working at the scene

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."

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."

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

Police officers cordoned off the area

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.

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