The woman shot by police in Alkmaar on Wednesday after she charged at them with a knife and a hammer has died of her injuries in hospital.

The 48-year-old woman had been roaming the streets, armed with the knife and hammer and had smashed several windows when the police were alerted. One officer reportedly shot her after she refused to obey instructions and ran towards them.

The shooting, which took place close to a primary school,  is being investigated by the public prosecution department.

The woman is said to have caused problems for years. ‘We have made at least 200 reports,’ one neighbour told local broadcaster NH Nieuws.

A spokeswoman for the housing corporation which owned the property where the woman lived has confirmed she was visited by officials but declined to say what, if any, action was being taken because privacy concerns.