Man is found dead in children's play area 'after attacking his partner with an iron bar and leaving her fighting for her life'

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

A man is believed to have killed himself in a children's play area in a quiet Yorkshire village after fleeing the cottage where his partner lay critically injured.
Shona Blackburn, 46, was brutally beaten with an iron bar yesterday before her gym-goer boyfriend ran off - sparking a huge manhunt.
He was later found dead among play equipment behind the village hall in picturesque Naburn, just outside York.
According to locals, the couple had lived in the village a number of years where keen horsewoman Ms Blackburn had a job working from her £300,000 cottage.
Her partner - who has yet to be named - did not appear to work and was often seen out walking her whippet, called Lady.
After the drama unfolded shortly before 6pm yesterday, the 'frightened' dog fled the house and was later found at a nearby former railway station on the edge of the village.
In an update this evening North Yorkshire Police said officers 'are not looking for anyone else' in connection with the death of the man, aged in his 40s.
Ms Blackburn and her partner were both regulars at the local pub, The Blacksmiths Arms, where regulars were in shock about what had happened.
'She was attacked with an iron bar - quite brutally,' one said today.
'He then did a runner. Police were asking locals to look for him so it became a local manhunt.
'Then he was found in the play park behind the village hall.
'The air ambulance landed in the field at the back. It is very sad.
'They were only in the pub on Sunday. He seemed a nice guy.
'They came in the pub a few times a week.
'He looked like a regular gym goer, very muscly tanned and tattooed. He was always pleasant and nice.
'When they came on Sunday they did not seem any different.
'There is a weird feeling in the village today. Everyone is messaging everyone.'
A pensioner said: 'My son knew Shona well and is devastated. She is absolutely lovely - so nice and kind.
'I often used to see her out walking her dog when she was not working from home and she would always smile and say "Hello".
'I just cannot believe what has happened.'
After the attack was discovered word spread around the village that her partner was on the run.
One local woman who lives opposed the village hall said: 'All we were told by police was that there was a man on the loose.
'There were police everywhere.
'The air ambulance landed in the field behind the church hall to take Shona to hospital but no one saw her boyfriend at the time.
'Later police cordoned off the play area and we heard he had killed himself.
'She is a lovely lady. Everyone went looking for her dog and she was found near the old station not far away.'
People in the village said Shona did not appear to have any children of her own but her partner may have been a dad by a previous relationship.
There was no reply from the couple's terraced cottage yesterday as police continued a painstaking forensic examination of the scene.
The area behind the house was taped off as a crime scene while the play area - which has reopened to the public - was deserted.
One mother said: 'I reckon it will be a while before anyone takes their kids there again.
'The whole village is in shock. You hardly ever even see a policeman or an ambulance man around here.'
North Yorkshire Police said officers were called at around 5.50pm yesterday 'by a concerned member of the public to reports of an assault'.
'On arrival officers found a woman with a serious head injury.
'She was treated at the scene and then taken to hospital by air ambulance for further treatment.
'A search for the suspect who had left the scene, led officers to a nearby playpark where the body of a man was found.
'Officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with his death.
'An investigation is ongoing into both incidents.
'Our thanks go to members of the public who supported the victim of the assault and helped at the scene of the incident.
'We realise the events in Naburn will have caused shock and concern in the village.
'However, officers believe that the wider community were not at risk and that both parties involved in the incident knew each other.'