Wife of Tory MP Owen Paterson found dead at family home

The wife of Owen Paterson, a Conservative former cabinet minister, has been found dead at their family home, the MP has said

In a statement, Mr Paterson said the loss of his wife Rose had come as a “terrible shock” to the family He said: “It is with great sadness that I must inform you that my wife, Rose, has been found dead at our family home in Shropshire

“Rose and I were married for 40 happy years. She was a wonderful, caring wife, mother and grandmother.

“Her death has come as a terrible shock to us all. I would ask the media to respect the privacy of myself and my family at this extremely difficult time.”

The couple married in 1980 and had two sons and a daughter.