A gun and two knives were found in the home of a father-of-three from St Neots who was shot dead by police.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the death of 41-year-old Richard Davies, who was shot by police marksmen near his home in Duck Lane, at about 8pm, on October 21.

Officers were called to the scene after concerns were raised for the safety of the people in the house that Mr Davies shared with his wife and children.

The IPCC said the early stages of its investigation suggested that Mr Davies died from a gunshot wound to the chest and that a single shot was fired during the incident.

Investigators recovered a gun and two knives during a search of the house, which will form part of the investigation into the shooting.

The IPCC said the cordon remained in place in Duck Lane while door-to-door enquiries were carried out. Officers involved in the incident have also been interviewed.

Mr Davies worked as a hydraulic fitter for Bosch Rexroth, in St Neots. It is understood that he had been off work for sometime before the incident took place.

IPCC associate commissioner, Guido Liguori, said: “I would like to send my condolences to Mr Davies’ family and friends at this difficult time. It is essential when the police use lethal force that there is a thorough and independent investigation of that decision and I would like to assure all those concerned that we will investigate the full circumstances surrounding this incident.”

Mr Davies mother, Gill Davies, posted a tribute to her son on Facebook in the hours after the shooting, saying that he was “loved and respected” by family and friends alike.