A WOMAN was in hospital last night after she was accidentally shot by her husband in a freak incident at an idyllic Suffolk lake.

Simon Tomlinson

A WOMAN was in hospital last night after she was accidentally shot by her husband in a freak incident at an idyllic Suffolk lake.

Jon Hudson's shotgun discharged into the 49-year-old's ankle when he slipped down a rabbit hole at Bromeswell Lakes, near Woodbridge.

They had been carrying out a routine patrol for fish predators at the lakes, where Mr Hudson is the leaseholder, with the legally-held firearm when the tragedy happened.

His wife Mandy was taken to Ipswich Hospital with serious injuries at around 8pm on Saturday. Last night, she was said to be in a stable condition.

Cliff Roberts, the bailiff at the fishery and a friend of the family, said Mr Hudson was distraught after the incident.

The 65-year-old said: “It was very traumatic for him and he is in total shock. He is finding it very hard to come to terms with what has happened.”

Mr Roberts, who lost a leg in an accident on his boat 21 years ago, said: “It really brings it back home. I am pretty shocked that it's happened.

“It is a very tragic occurrence. He had the safety catch on, but had the gun cocked open over his arm.

“I have no idea how the gun went off. Somehow it snapped shut and went off when he fell over.”

Paramedics were dispatched to the scene but called police to make the scene safe before they tended to Mrs Hudson.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said: “It was a fairly serious injury. It was an accident.”

Police confirmed it was a legally-held gun, but they had taken the weapon away while they assessed the situation.

Bromeswell Lakes started life as a trout fishery, but has now been converted to a coarse fishery.

The fishery consists of four lakes - Horseshoe and Willows lakes, with two smaller ponds, Hazel and Birch.