Man shoots wife in freak accident
A woman is in a stable condition after being shot in the leg by her husband in a freak accident, according to police.
Mandy and Jon Hudson were carrying out checks at Bromeswell Lakes, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, when Mr Hudson tripped on a rabbit hole, a spokesman for the fishery said.
He said the legally-held firearm triggered and hit Mrs Hudson in her ankle at about 8pm on Saturday.
A police spokesman said: "Officers went to the scene but they established that it was innocent and there wasn't any crime to investigate."
Water bailiff Cliff Roberts, 65, said the couple, of Rendlesham, Suffolk, who are both thought to be in their late 40s, were checking for potential fish predators at the time.
"We have a lot of Canada geese down here and a heron and we try to scare them off by firing a gun," said Mr Roberts.
"Mr Hudson tripped on a rabbit warren hole. As he fell, the gun closed up and discharged.
"He was walking round with his wife, as they normally do in the evening. I'm led to believe they were walking hand in hand. Mandy had probably been feeding the fish. I think the gun probably went off on the ground. That would explain why Mandy was shot in the ankle."
Mrs Hudson was in a stable condition in hospital and was due to undergo an operation, Mr Roberts said.
"It's a serious injury but that's all I know," she said. "She is stable." He said Mr Hudson, the leaseholder of the lakes, was in "very deep shock" about the incident.
