An inquest into the deaths of a murdered policeman and the man believed to have shot him has been opened and adjourned.

Pc Ian Dibell, 41, died after being shot while trying to intervene in a dispute near his home in the seaside town of Clacton, Essex, on Monday afternoon.

After the shooting which left another man injured, police launched a massive manhunt for Peter Reeve, who they believed was responsible for the killing.

The 64-year-old man was found lying dead in a churchyard next to a handgun in the village of Writtle near Chelmsford the following morning.

Opening the inquest at Chelmsford Coroner's Court, coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "As the tragic events have unfolded this week in Essex, many people's lives have been affected. I'd like to express my thanks to Essex Police."

Ms Beasley-Murray passed on her condolences to the families of Pc Dibell and Reeve. She added: "The families can now return to their funeral arrangements and hopefully be left in peace to grieve for their loved ones."

Pc Dibell, who was off-duty when he tried to defuse the dispute, was described as "a beacon" for all members of the Essex Police Authority.

In a statement, they said: "Pc Dibell was an extraordinary man and an exceptional police officer. Very experienced and respected by his colleagues, he thought nothing of going to the rescue of fellow citizens who were in mortal danger."

Detectives from Essex Police continue to conduct a live murder investigation into the dramatic events of Monday and Tuesday. They will seek to establish a motive for the shootings and find out exactly the sequence of events.

The inquest was adjourned to an unspecified later date.