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Questions are once again being raised over gun licensing laws after a County Durham man shot his partner and two other women before killing himself.

Durham Police believe Michael Atherton, 42, of Greenside Avenue, Horden shot his partner Susan McGoldrick, aged 47, also of Greenside Avenue, her sister Alison Turnbull, aged 44 of Blackhall and her niece Tanya Turnbull aged 24 before turning the weapon on himself.

Three other people were in the house during the time of the shooting- The 19-year-old girl who was injured with shotgun pellets managed to escape through an upstairs window.

A tribute page has been set up on Facebook called 'R.I.P Susan McGoldrick, Alison and Tanya Turnbull From Peterlee Durham'

A Police spokesperson added:
"The exact weapon used has still not been established and will also form part of continuing enquiries.
"Police are continuing to try and establish the exact circumstances of whattook place and are speaking to family, friends and associates of those who died."

It has since emerged that Durham Police reviewed Michael Atherton's 6 gun licences in 2008 after being informed by family members that he had threatened to kill himself.

Durham Constabulary have referred themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), has expressed sadness and sympathy for the families of the victims but is warning against any kneejerk reaction.

Our reporter Joel Goldman's been speaking to Simon Clarke from the BASC:

Steve Patterson, a family friend, said he had talked to Michael Atherton's brother, Chris on sunday:
"Chris was saying that his brother wasn't doing too well and had been suffering from depression.
"He said he was fed up with the way his life was going.
"I think he started feeling down after an operation he had on his heart in 2011."

A neighbour said:
"Micky did have problems with his heart, around summer last year Sue was telling me that Micky had just come out of hospital after an operation.
"I don't remember him being too down about it though, he always said hello and seemed like a happy go lucky sort of person to me.
"They were just lovely. Sue lived for her family, she worked at the supermarket and all the rest of her time was sorting her family out.
"Laura still lived at home. She's a blonde girl, really bonny, she's always changing her hair colour, it was even a grey colour until recently and now it's blonde again."

Grahame Morris, the Labour MP whose Easington constituency includes Horden, said Parliament must reconsider gun laws following the tragedy:
"There are issues for Parliament and Government to look at. We need to take a measured approach.
"I don't want to put any unfair criticism on the police.
"I think in the circumstances they have done a really good job in allaying
public concerns.
"However, there are issues about whether we need to have some professional input and assessment where concerns are expressed about a person's mental health, and whether someone suffering from depression should have, as a matter of course, their shotgun or firearms licence revoked.
"There are no easy answers. I know many hundreds of thousands of people enjoy quite legitimately countryside pursuits although I am not a shooter myself.
"This is a verytight-knit former mining community. Everyone knows everyone else and it has been a real shock.
"Gun crime is not the norm in this area. People are appalled and shocked.''