Dramatic pictures of mansion blaze

5:15pm Thursday 4th September 2008

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has released dramatic pictures of efforts to contain the blaze that ripped through Christopher Foster's mansion.

The pictures show crews fighting the flames at Osbaston House unaware that the building being reduced to a shell before their eyes contained the bodies of Mr Foster and his family.

Detectives have confirmed that they believed the 50-year-old businessman killed his wife Jill, 49, and daughter Kirstie, 15, before setting the £1.2 million property in Maesbrook, Shropshire, on fire and committing suicide.

Officers say it will be several months until the inquiry is complete.

Two of three bodies found at the £1.2 million property have been formally identified as Mr Foster, 50, and his 49-year-old wife.

But Detective Superintendent Jon Groves, the senior investigating officer, said officers may not be able to confirm whether a third body found at the house is that of Kirstie until next week.

Police said that the investigation team was not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths in the early hours of August 26.

It was also disclosed that CCTV footage recovered from Osbaston House showed a man police strongly believed to be Mr Foster firing a rifle at a horsebox as his property burned.

A post-mortem examination has already established that Mrs Foster died from a gunshot to the head and tests are being conducted on a rifle recovered from the house to establish whether it was the murder weapon.

Police declined to confirm or deny reports that Mr Foster created a system of pipes to flood his stable, house and garage with oil from a tank used to power his central heating system before setting it alight.

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