Caroline Andrews Death: Armed Police Hunting Suspect Arrest 54-Year-Old Man

Armed Police Storm Kent Train Hunting Murder Suspect

Armed police hunting a murder suspect boarded a train at Gillingham Station on Thursday and held it during their pursuit.

Kent Police made "extensive searches" after officers discovered the body of Caroline Andrews, 52, at a property in The Street in Benenden, Kent, earlier on Thursday. A 54-year-old man was arrested on Friday afternoon.

Armed officers at Gillingham Station searching for the suspect

As part of the investigation, armed police boarded the train on Thursday night in north Kent, The Press Association reports.

The spokesman said a search was launched after officers were called about the woman's death earlier in the day, at 4.20pm.

Armed officers held the train at Gillingham station from around 9pm for more than an hour-and-a-half.

Police aboard the train

Officers on the platform

Footage shows officers walking down the train carriage holding guns, with one distressed passenger demanding to be let off because he was claustrophobic.

A policeman can be heard saying: "It is a very serious incident and we can't really say what it is about, but you can see we are taking it very seriously."

Other travellers were reportedly not allowed on to the platform while the train was being searched.

A post-mortem examination took place earlier today and the death is now being treated as a murder inquiry.

The arrested man was located in the London area this afternoon and taken to hospital for treatment to injuries.

Neighbour Derek Catlin, 71, described the Andrews family as "normal, very pleasant people".

He said: "I went out at about 4pm to the fish shop up the road, I came back but all was quiet, then the police arrived at about 4.30pm.

"All I saw was an accumulation of police vehicles, probably three police cars and later a detective interviewed my wife and I.

"I have been here for three years. We knew them as neighbours but I feel shock really, because there was nothing to make us think there was anything peculiar."

He added: "They were very normal, very pleasant people. This makes us all feel very odd. The police say there is nothing to worry about. It's an extraordinary thing to happen on your doorstep."

A police car in the village

Another local, Karen Callaghan, 49, said: "It's very sad for the village. Everyone knows everyone round here. The locals have been here a long time."

A police cordon was in place outside the large property on a sprawling private estate opposite the village green.

The scene is down the road from the exclusive Benenden School and off the village's main street.

A police spokesman said: "The death is being treated as suspicious and efforts are ongoing to trace a man in connection with the incident. The woman and man are known to each other."

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