A man is in court today after a woman was killed by a shotgun blast in Holloway.

Richard Conroy, 38 of Loraine Road, was due in Highbury corner Magistrates Court charged with the murder of a 32-year-old woman on Saturday morning.

Police on patrol in Holloway were called to Loraine Road at about 9.30am where they found the victim with serious injuries.

Despite efforts to save her she died at the scene – a post mortem later gave her cause of death as shot gun wounds.

Officers believe they know who the deceased is, but formal identification has not taken place.

Conroy, thought to be the victim’s partner, was arrested and charged on Sunday.

Neighbours described the couple as “normal”.

Philip Bury, who lives on Loraine Road, said: “It’s extraordinary because I was standing looking out of the window at 9.30, but I didn’t hear anything.

“The next thing you know the road was crawling with police.

“They were fantastic – I saw one of them charging into the house with a first aid kit.

“They seemed really on the ball. We weren’t allowed out of the house and they were taking down the names of anyone walking down the road.”

Another neighbour said; “I looked out of the window and suddenly the road was swarming with police, with lots of specialist firearms officers.

“It’s London, so these things do happen, but the fact it was with a shooting worries me.”

Police said they recovered a firearm.

Anyone with any information that could assist police can contact the incident room on 020 8358 0100, or police via 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.