A married couple were found dead at their rural cottage in what police believe could be a suicide pact.

The bodies of Brian Hainsworth, 64, and Sharon Hainsworth, 57, were understood to have been discovered by their son yesterday morning at their cottage on Woodhall Road, in Calverley .

The son was said to be so shocked and devastated he had to be taken to hospital for treatment, along with a next door neighbour also said to be in deep shock.

Mr and Mrs Hainsworth rented their cottage from the Woodhall Hills Golf Club, Woodhall Road, Calverley.

A worker at the club told how he saw the hysterical son when he arrived for work yesterday.

“He kept saying ‘my mum, my mum’ and he was screaming and screaming that they were dead. I asked police whether they needed me but they didn’t.”

The cottage is one of three adjoining the golf club and Mr and Mrs Hainsworth had lived there for five years.

Mark Romans, the manager of the golf club, said the police cordon was in place when they arrived for work.

“The police came in and asked whether we had any information and how well we knew Sharon and Brian.

“They were tenants of the club and had lived there for five years. It is upsetting really and all these incidents come as a shock and are not expected.

“They had said they were quite happy here and that they wanted to stay.

“We would like to give our condolences to the family and friends of the couple.”

John Hayes, the club secretary, said that he had done plumbing work in the past for the couple.

“Sharon was a very nice lady,” he said. “I never met the gentleman but she was very nice. I did some work for them. I am gutted really. It is not what you expect when you arrive to work.”

Detectives were at the scene yesterday trying to establish what led to the couple’s death. Emergency services were called at 8.36am when the alarm was raised. It is believed the couple were last seen on Wednesday night.

A police spokesman said: “Police were called at 8.36am to a house in Woodhall Road. A 64-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman were both pronounced dead at the scene and inquiries into the full circumstances are continuing but we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.”

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service service spokesman said: “We received a call at 8.32am yesterday to reports of an incident at 292 Woodhall Road.

“We dispatched an ambulance, our hazardous areas response team and also a clinical supervisor.”