Lance Hart, 57, killed partner Claire, 50, and daughter Charlotte, 19, with a shotgun before turning it on himself, say reports

A man is believed to have shot and killed his wife and daughter near a swimming pool in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Lance Hart, 57, who worked at a builders’ merchants, killed Claire Hart, 50, and their daughter Charlotte Hart, 19, with a shotgun near Castle swimming pool in the market town before turning the weapon on himself, according to local reports.

Officers and paramedics tried to save the two women, whom they found gravely injured at about 9am on Tuesday. The man was already dead. No shots were fired by police.

Police said they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the shooting. They said it was not being treated as a terrorist incident.

Residents spoke of hearing a number of loud bangs followed by a flurry of emergency vehicle activity shortly after. “From what I understand, a man shot himself and his family,” one person who did not want to be identified told the Press Association. “We have heard it’s a self-contained incident.”

Supt Paul Timmins said: “We believe a shotgun was involved in the incident and are currently investigating the circumstances of this tragic incident. We believe all those involved were known to each other. Clearly, a situation such as this for a small community like Spalding is hard to comprehend.”

A builder working nearby said he had attempted to resuscitate a “very badly injured” older woman. “I ran across the car park, jumped over the fence and went to help,” he said.

“When I arrived, there was only me and another lad from the swimming pool who was trying to help. There were three people injured. It looked like the man had done the other two and done away with himself.”

The man, who declined to be named, said: “There was a man, an older woman, and a younger woman. They looked like a family. The man was already dead when I got there. The older woman was very badly injured and I tried CPR on her while the guy from the swimming baths tried on the younger woman.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Facebook image of Charlotte Hart and mother Claire Hart Photograph: Facebook

Chris Hammond, 68, who lives close to the swimming pool, said: “About 9.30am, I was sweeping the path, all these ambulances and police cars came just then and the ambicopter [ambulance helicopter].

“I was frightened. Then the armed response teams got out with their submachine guns. I thought it was best to keep out of the way. My daughter lives in town and works for a solicitors. They were told to keep everyone inside. It did shock me.”

John Tippler, 86, whose house is yards away from the pool, said: “The only thing I heard, which I didn’t take note of at the time, was three bangs. I can’t say exactly when that was, about 9am. I only took notice of them because my dog looked up and I reassured her. I didn’t think of them being shots.”

He said that despite the police activity, he was only alerted to the tragedy when his son called from Cambridge to check that he was all right. “I usually take the dog for a walk through that area in the morning but it happened we had been earlier today and gone a different route,” he said.

A number of residents thought the shots they heard had come from a nearby gunsmiths, where guns are sometimes fired in the backyard to test them. One man, who did not wish to be named, said he had lived in the area for about 40 years and never heard of any previous shootings.

Gary Taylor, a South Holland district council member whose ward includes the swimming baths, said the area was in shock.

“I was there at the swimming baths just last night and then this morning I heard that this has happened. It’s totally shocking,” he said. “It’s not an area that has any guns or gang crime whatsoever. It’s a very peaceful, safe, residential area so everyone is in total shock. The council is trying to reassure people … the gunman has apparently shot himself.”

On Tuesday afternoon, a large police cordon remained in place around the area of the swimming pool. A forensics investigation vehicle was present and a tent had been erected in the car park. A number of police cars as well as a fire engine remained on the scene.

Officers raided a house in Hatt Close, Moulton, Spalding, though it was not clear if it was linked to the shooting.

A police spokesman said: “We can confirm that there has been a firearms incident on Pinchbeck Road in Spalding, in the vicinity of the Castle swimming pool, in which three people have been fatally wounded, including the suspected offender. There is an ongoing police investigation and at this stage we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

“There is no indication that this is a terrorist-related incident and no shots have been fired by police. We would urge members of the public to stay away from the area at the present time.”

A spokesman for East Midlands ambulance service said three people had died from gunshot wounds. He said paramedics were called at 9.04am.

“Our ambulance crews and paramedic officer were sent to the emergency and told to approach with caution,” said the spokesman. “Upon arriving at the scene our paramedics treated three patients who had gunshot wounds. Despite the best efforts of everyone at the scene the patients were pronounced dead. This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the friends and families of those involved.”

The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, tweeted his condolences.