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The wife of former cabinet minister Owen Paterson has been found dead at their family home. 

The Tory MP for North Shropshire said that the loss of his “wonderful, caring wife” Rose, had come as a “terrible shock” to the family.

In a statement released on Wednesday the former environment secretary said said: “It is with great sadness that I must inform you that my wife, Rose, has been found dead at our family home in Shropshire.

“Rose and I were married for 40 happy years.”

He continued: “She was a wonderful, caring wife, mother and grandmother.

“Her death has come as a terrible shock to us all.

“I would ask the media to respect the privacy of myself and my family at this extremely difficult time.”

A number of MPs offered their condolences to Paterson and his family, including his Conservative colleague George Freeman. 

Rose Paterson, the daughter of the fourth Viscount Ridley, was the chair of Aintree Racecourse. The couple married in 1980 and had two sons and a daughter.