A murder investigation has been launched after the bodies of a former Petersfield jeweller and his wife were found at a home in Anchorage Park, Portsmouth.

It has been reported the bodies of Christopher Stone-Houghton, 66, and his wife Ruth, 60, were found by police at a home in Holcott Lane, Anchorage Park, on Wednesday, September 14.

Mr Stone-Houghton had previously run T Constad & Son Jewellers in The Square, Petersfield, from its opening in 1997 until its permanent closure in March this year.

A former T Constad employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed their shock at the news, saying Mr Stone-Houghton was “one of the nicest, kindest people you’d ever meet”.

Armed police offices were called to Mr and Mrs Stone-Houghton’s £500,000 semi-detached home on the Anchorage Park estate just before 10.30am on September 14.

South Central Ambulance paramedics were also called to the incident after reports of injuries to multiple people.

On arrival, officers found the bodies of a 60-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man, and a large cordon was placed around the home.

A neighbour, who was not named, said they heard a number of gunshot-like “loud bangs” but Hampshire Police have since denied firearms were involved in the incident.

A police spokesman said: “As part of our policing enquiries, there is nothing to suggest to us at this time that a firearm had been discharged at the address.”

Specialist crime scene officers and major crime detectives were seen entering the property and talking to neighbours.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police confirmed detectives have launched a murder investigation “following the death of a woman in Portsmouth”. They added police are “not looking for any further people” in connection with the incident, and added “formal identification procedures are ongoing”.