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A male pensioner and his sister have been arrested on suspicion of murder after allegedly shooting dead a burglar who broke into their caravan near Heathrow Airport.

The suspects, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 50s, were held by police following a fatal shooting near the Colnbrook bypass shortly before 3.30am on Monday (June 12).

The sibling pair, named by The Mirror as Reuben and Cathy Gregory, were arrested after a man was found with fatal gunshot wounds in woods near the airport.

Emergency services, including armed officers, responded to reports of a shooting and found a man in his 40s who was declared dead at the scene.

The victim was one of two men suspected of breaking into the siblings' caravan, situated near Stanwell Moor and Wraysbury between the M4 and the M25, during the early hours of the morning.

(Image: Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

Mr Gregory allegedly opened fire on the men after he disturbed them during the raid.

He and his sister had previously been burglary victims and friends said they kept a gun in case they were attacked.

The OAP and his sister called police to their isolated mobile home at 3.23am.

Officers found one of the suspected raiders lying dead in neighbouring woodland.

Another man is understood to have been wounded in the shooting and was rushed to hospital.

(Image: Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

Relatives described Reuben as "gentle and kind" and said he had lived with his sister for years.

A cousin, who did not want to be named, told The Mirror the pair were innocent victims.

“Reuben is more than 70 years old and he and Cathy are very inoffensive people," they said.

“Years ago, they were robbed tied up and beaten and everything was taken from them, all their possessions.

“They have lived there in the caravan all their lives. Their mother lived there before she died.

“Neither of them ever had kids and neither of them ever married. It’s just them, brother and sister.”

(Image: Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

A neighbour added: “They don’t trouble anybody, I have only seen them go out when they go to the shops.

“They don’t go to the pub, they don’t have meals out, they are nice people who wouldn’t harm anyone.”

'Isolated incident'

Officers from Thames Valley Police were called to the scene next to the busy A4 Colnbrook bypass at 3.23am.

A spokesman for the force said: “Officers discovered a man in his 40s, who was declared dead at scene.

“A man in his 70s and a woman in her 50s were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and are in custody.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Chris Ward of Thames Valley Police said investigators were treating the shooting as an "isolated incident".

Mr Ward said: "I must stress that this incident is not being treated as related to terrorism and there is no threat to the wider public."

Anyone with information is asked to call Thames Valley Police on 101 quoting reference 108 (12/6) or call Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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