THE Independent Police Complaints Commission has revealed the identifty of the woman shot dead by Kent Police in Sevenoaks.

She was 37-year old Ann Sanderson who came from the area. A post-mortem is being carried out.

Meanwhile the IPCC investigation, being headed by deputy senior investigator Bill Stone, is being conducted to establish precisely why she was shot.

Armed officers were called at around 1.20am on Monday after Ms Sanderson was seen wielding a gun in the vicinity of Sevenoaks High Street.

Police say only one shot was fired. Ms Sanderson was pronounced dead at the scene and a firearm was recovered.

Parts of Sevenoaks town centre around the bus station were closed off following the shooting.

A police cordon was established around Suffolk Way, Buckhurst Lane, Buckhurst Avenue, Akehurst Lane, while police officers and forensics experts combed the area. Alleyways running between the High Street and Suffolk Way were also closed.

IPCC commissioner Nicola Williams said: "We will be looking to find out what happened, and if police officers are a fault, what appropriate action will be taken.

"We don’t know what the circumstances are but it’s always terrible when you lose a loved one. I send my sympathies to the woman’s family and friends and also the police officers concerned.

"Whenever there is a fatal shooting by police our independent investigators go the incident immediately."

She added: "Police shootings make the news but fortunately they are quite rare."