A police watchdog ruled police acted correctly following an incident in which a much-loved husband took his own life.

Ian Robb, 63, a much loved husband to his wife of 25 years, died in woodland near Shap on January 18 of 2019, several hours after he went missing from his Little Strickland home, near Penrith, taking his shotgun.

Despite the efforts of specialists police negotiators, he took his own life.

The incident prompted an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The outcome of the investigation was published recently, with the organisation ruling that Cumbria police acted quickly, efficiently and in line with policy.

A spokesman for the IOPC said: "There was no evidence to suggest that the police’s response to the missing person report, or once the man had been found, contributed to his death. Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence."

The IOPC said its investigators attended the scene and heard accounts from ten officers who saw the shots, two negotiators and six officers who were in command positions during the operation.

An inquest into Mr Robb's death, which was held at the end of 2019, revealed the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Mr Robb, who was born in Sunderland, worked in the family auto business with his father and brother, before relocating to Cumbria in 2009.

He started a new business - Caldew Autolec Limited, in Carlisle. Initially, it did well but then business slowed down.

Mr Robb, who was honoured with a long-service award for volunteering for the Sunderland Coastguard until he was 40, began to suffer pain in his lower body, and right shoulder in 2016.

Despite a benign lesion being operated on, he continued to suffer pain. He was convinced he had cancer.

In the year before his death, his health and wellbeing significantly declined. Mrs Robb said he never shared worries about his business.

As his pain worsened, he could not find pleasure in anything any more.

Mrs Robb researched finding a counsellor but he did not want to speak to one.

The inquest heard how on January 17, Mrs Robb returned home after walking the dogs to find two bailiffs had parked their car outside their house.

They were there to take possession of a Land Rover which belonged to Mr Robb in lieu of an unpaid £3,000 debt. They left after Mrs Robb added £1,400 to a sum he was able to transfer to them.

But later that day she discovered her husband was missing, finding he had left a note explaining his intention. She immediately alerted the police.

Early the next morning, officers found him in the Shap woodland and despite efforts to communicate with him, he was mostly unresponsive.

Tragically, Mr Robb shot himself.