A west Norfolk village has been left in shock after the body of a woman was found in a garden pond.

Villagers spoke of their sadness following the news that a woman was found dead at a bungalow on Cedar Way, Gayton, on Tuesday afternoon.

Emergency services including the air ambulance attended but were unable to help her.

Neighbour Anna Steward said: 'It's very sad. I only spoke to her on Sunday, she shouted over the fence and me and my husband went round to have a chat. We didn't know her very well but it's shocking. I didn't know what was happening. When I looked out of the window all the bushes were blowing around – I thought it was a hurricane.'

Villager Julie Wood said: 'I can't believe it, it's so sad... It's the kind of village where everyone gets on and you never have any trouble. It's just really quiet.'

A man who lived in the village said: 'It's very shocking. The pond is within a few feet of my back garden so to think that such a thing as this happened is disturbing.'

The normal peace of the cul-de-sac was shattered as emergency services arrived at the scene.

Another villager who wished not to be named said: 'It's terrible. The helicopter came over my house but I didn't know why it was there. The news said she had died which is very sad.'

Stuart Watkins, who lives near the green where the air ambulance landed, said: 'The helicopter pilot and crew were brilliant. How they landed in that space I don't know.'

A police statement said that the death was not being treated as suspicious.

The woman will not be named until formal identification has taken place and next of kin have been informed.