The wife of Conservative former cabinet minister Owen Paterson was found dead in woodland near the family home on his 64th birthday.
In a statement, Mr Paterson said the loss of his wife, Rose, had come as a "terrible shock" to the family. "It is with great sadness that I must inform you that my wife, Rose, has been found dead at our family home in Shropshire," he said. "Rose and I were married for 40 happy years.
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." West Mercia Police said the death was currently being treated as unexplained.