Pictured: Woman, 65, who was found shot dead at £1million Norfolk village manor house that featured on BBC’s Escape to the Country – as man in his 60s is arrested on suspicion of murder

A woman found shot dead in a £1million 16th century manor house has been identified by police – as detectives continue to quiz a man on suspicion of murder.

Norfolk Constabulary say the body discovered at the country property is 65-year-old Lesley Page.

Officers were called to Emneth, near Wisbech, shortly before 7.30am on Monday morning.

They had received a report that the body of a woman, aged in her 60s, had been found at the Banyer Hall property in Lady’s Drove.

When they arrived they discovered Ms Page and arrested a man, who was also in his 60s, that day on suspicion of murder.

Yesterday they were given additional time to question him over the West Norfolk death.

Locals said they were shocked at the murder in the picturesque village.

One said: ‘It’s hard to believe that there’s been another shooting where I live.

‘Lesley was a lovely – and lively – woman and it is just tragic that she has died in this way.’

Mrs Page, who used to work at a branch of Barclays Bank, moved into Banyer Hall in 2017 with her husband Stephen, 68, after relocating from Brentwood in Essex.

The couple, who are understood to have had no children, shared a passion for motorcycling, fishing and other outdoor activities.

Photos on Mrs Page’s Facebook account show her in motorbike leathers and holding aloft a large carp.

The Pages had a wildlife pond dug in the grounds of their home in 2017, soon after moving into Banyer Hall.

They were good neighbours and well-liked. The immediate neighbours at Banyer Hall Barns described them as ‘friends of ours’. Another villager, said: ‘They were very nice people. You used to see her in the village. It’s horrible.’

Brian Chilvers, who runs a yard next door with vehicles for groundwork and landscaping, said he regularly went in for cups of tea with the Pages who seemed like the ‘perfect couple’. Lesley’s elderly mother, Lily, was living with them.

Mr Chilvers, 76, added: ‘They were two perfectly nice people. I cannot understand what’s gone wrong. I just cannot work it out.

‘Obviously, I have known them since they came down here and they were both lovely people. As most people from London wish to move down here, so did they. They came down for the countryside.

‘It’s just a nice place to come to, Banyer Hall. It’s a beautiful place.

‘They did it all up after they came here. They had the pond done.

‘She worked in a bank up in London. I think he was more or less semi-retired. He used to go down to London now and again. They had a couple of dogs.

‘He liked fishing. Around this way there’s hundreds of places to fish. We talked about most things, about fishing and walking in the countryside.

‘This village is full of Londoners – or people who have come up from down that way. It’s an ideal place for them because you can get there by train from Downham Market.’

A police spokesman said: ‘A man aged in his 60s was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday.

‘He was taken to King’s Lynn Police Investigation Centre for questioning, and he remains in custody.

‘Officers applied for a warrant of further detention at Norwich Magistrates’ Court yesterday and were granted an additional 36 hours to question him.

‘The magistrates’ extension will expire at 3.36am. A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday, with provisional results showing the cause of death as gunshot wounds to the torso.

‘Pending formal Coroner’s inquest proceedings, police have provisionally identified the deceased as 65-year-old Lesley Page of Lady’s Drove, Emneth.’

Banyer Hall is a Grade II listed building and was once featured on the BBC ‘Escape to the Country’ show.